There needs not a great soul to make a hero; there needs a god-created soul which will be true to its origin; that will be a great soul!

What are your historical Facts still more your biographical Wilt thou know a man by stringing-together beadrolls of what thou namest Facts

All deep things are song. It seems somehow the very central essence of us, song; as if all the rest were but wrappages and hulls!

All that mankind has done, thought or been: it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books.

The situation that has not its duty, its ideal, was never yet occupied by man. Yes, here, in this poor, miserable, hampered, despicable actual, wherein thou even now standest, here or nowhere is thy ideal; work it out therefrom, and, working, believe, live, be free. Fool! the ideal is in thyself.

Music is well said to be the speech of angels; in fact, nothing among the utterances allowed to man is felt to be so divine. It brings us near to the infinite.

Speech is great, but silence is greater.