Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance - the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it; better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen.

A person with half volition goes backwards and forwards, but makes no progress on even the smoothest of roads.

Reform is not pleasant, but grievous; no person can reform themselves without suffering and hard work, how much less a nation.

He who cannot withal keep his mind to himself cannot practice any considerable thing whatsoever.

A man protesting against error is on the way towards uniting himself with all men that believe in truth.

Speech that leads not to action, still more that hinders it, is a nuisance on the earth.

Neither let mistakes and wrong directions - of which every man, in his studies and elsewhere, falls into many - discourage you. There is precious instruction to be got by finding that we are wrong. Let a man try faithfully, manfully to be right, he will grow daily more and more right. It is, at bottom, the condition which all men have to cultivate themselves. Our very walking is an incessant falling - a falling and a catching of ourselves before we come actually to the pavement! - it is emblematic of all things a man does.