The worse I get along with people the more I learn to have faith in Nature and concentrate on her.

An artist need not be a minister or a collector in church, but he must have a warm heart for people, and I find it a noble thing that, for example, no winter passed without The Graphic doing something to keep alive sympathy for the poor.

Find things beautiful as much as you can, most people find too little beautiful.

Surely the true path is to dive deep into nature.

Often whole days pass without my speaking to anyone.

Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me. I see paintings or drawings in the poorest cottages, in the dirtiest corners. And my mind is driven towards these things with an irresistible momentum.

I feel a certain calm. There is safety in the midst of danger. What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?