When the soul, through its own fault... becomes rooted in a pool of pitch-black, evil smelling water, it produces nothing but misery and filth.

Those seeking the life of the spirit should be cheerful and free, and not neglect recreation. Married people must act in conformity with their vocation--but their progress will of necessity be but the pace of a hen.

With all this wide and beautiful creation before me, the restless soul longs to enjoy its liberty and rest beyond its bound.

I would never want any prayer that would not make the virtues grow within me.

Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.

Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour.

We know only that we are living in these bodies and have a vague idea, because we have heard it, and because our faith tells us so, that we possess souls. As to what good qualities there may be in our souls, or who dwells within them, or how precious they are, those are things which seldom consider and so we trouble little about carefully preserving the soul's beauty.