Culture implies all which gives the mind possession of its own powers, as languages to the critic, telescope to the astronomer. Culture alters the political status of an individual. It raises a rival royalty in a monarchy. 'Tis king against king. It is ever a romance of history in all dynasties--the co-presence of the revolutionary force in intellect. It creates a personal independence which the monarch cannot look down, and to which he must often succumb.

When we are exalted by ideas, we do not owe this to Plato, but to the idea, to which also Plato was debtor.

Consistency is the bugbear that frightens little minds.

Why should we assume the faults of our friend, or wife, or father, or child, because they sit around our hearth, or are said to have the same blood?

Genius is the power to labor better and more availably. Deserve thy genius: exalt it.

The use of natural history is to give us aid in supernatural history: the use of the outer creation, to give us language for the beings and changes of the inward creation.

He takes men out of time and makes them feel eternity.