And, in fine, the ancient precept, "Know thyself," and the modern precept, "Study nature," become at last one maxim.

Another sort of false prayers are our regrets. Discontent is the way of self-reliance: it is infirmity of will. Regret calamities, if you can thereby help the sufferer; if not, attend your own work, and already the evil begins to be repaired.

Out of Plato come all things that are still written and debated about among men of thought.

Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy.

Who does not sometimes envy the good and the brave, who are no more to suffer from the tumults of the natural world, and await with curious complacency the speedy term of his own conversation with finite nature?

Though your views are in straight antagonism to theirs, assume an identity of sentiment, assume that you are saying precisely thatwhich all think, and in the flow of wit and love roll out your paradoxes in solid column, with not the infirmity of a doubt.

She shows us only surfaces, but she is million-fathoms deep.