The quote database

Life is not a popularity contest. Be brave, take the hill but first, answer the question, “What is my hill?”

Ambition is of all others the most contrary humour to solitude; glory and repose are things that cannot possibly inhabit in one and the same place.

Now the end, I take it, is all one, to live at more leisure and at one's ease: but men do not always take the right way.

The great law of morality ought to have a national as well as a personal and individual application.

The man who labors without a definite purpose that is backed up by a definite plan for its attainment, resembles the ship that has lost its rudder.

it must be from one man that it receives its institutions at first, and upon one man that all similar reconstruction must depend

The progressive development of man is vitally dependent on invention.

That even one individual in a society should be debarred from undertaking that form of social toil for which it is most fitted, makes an unnecessary deficit in the general social assets.

All sincere and earnest search after truth, even where it fails to reach it, yet, often comes so near to it, that other minds more happily situated may be led, by pointing out its very limitations and errors, to obtain a larger view.

We make this demand, not for our own sakes alone, but for the succour of the race.

It is continuity of purpose alone that achieves results.

Every person who amounts to anything feels within himself a power which is ever pushing him on and urging him to perpetual improvement.

No one can pursue a worthy object steadily and persistently with all the powers of his mind, and yet make his life a failure.

Success is jealous of scattered energies.

the immoderate desire for each, implanting a most immoderate fear of losing them, makes the enjoyment of them weak and wavering, like a flame under the influence of a wind

For life is immortal youthfulness, and it hates age that tries to clog its movements--age that belongs not to life in truth, but follows it as the shadow follows the lamp.

For joy is knowledge in its completeness, it is knowing by our whole being.

But music never has to depend upon any obvious meaning; it expresses what no words can ever express.

This joy of life, this joy of work, in man is absolutely true.

Our heart ever changes its place till it finds love, and then it has its rest.

All our egoistic impulses, our selfish desires, obscure our true vision of the soul.

It is the function of religion not to destroy our nature but to fulfil it.

We gain our freedom when we attain our truest nature.

Belief and love,--a believing love will relieve us of a vast load of care.

Love, which is the essence of God, is not for levity, but for the total worth of man.