The quote database

His capacity for work was prodigious, and when his own work happened to take less than his full time he characteristically found activity in serving a scientist or exercising an animal.

In the realm of time there is no aristocracy of wealth, and no aristocracy of intellect.

There is a direct pleasure in seeing work grow under one's hands day by day, until at last it is finished.

In old age it is indeed a consolation to think that the work of life is over and done with.

At that institution I got my first taste of what it meant to live a life of unselfishness, my first knowledge of the fact that the happiest individuals are those who do the most to make others useful and happy.

Nothing ever comes to me, that is worth having, except as the result of hard work.

There is an indescribable something about work with the hands that tends to develop a student's mind.

From a poor man, poor in Time, I was suddenly lifted up into a vast revenue; I could see no end of my possessions; I wanted some steward, or judicious bailiff, to manage my estates in Time for me.

A thing was worth buying then, when we felt the money that we paid for it.

It is Lucretian pleasure to behold the poor drudges, whom I have left behind in the world, carking and caring; like horses in a mill, drudging on in the same eternal round--and what is it all for?

Competence to age is supplementary youth; a sorry supplement indeed, but I fear the best that is to be had.

All letters, methinks, should be free and easy as one's discourse; not studied as an oration, nor made up of hard words like a charm.

Real wealth consists in things of utility and beauty, in things that help to create strong, beautiful bodies and surroundings inspiring to live in.

The labour of the body frees us from the pains of the mind, and thus makes the poor happy.

It is my service to think how I can best fulfil the demands that each day makes upon me, and to rejoice that others can do what I cannot.

My share in the work of the world may be limited; but the fact that it is work makes it precious.

Those only are happy (I thought) who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness; on the happiness of others, on the improvement of mankind, even on some art or pursuit, followed not as a means, but as itself an ideal end.

Pride in one's work is aroused as soon as work is functionalized. The moment a man has something to do that he likes to do, and can do well, he takes pride in it.

A wise man is never so busy as in the solitary contemplation of God and the works of Nature.

Oh! the delights of rest when a man comes to be weary, and of meat when he is heartily hungry.

Love the art which you have learned, humble though it be, and in it find your recreation.

a man who is always living in the midst of these studies and labours does not perceive when old age creeps upon him

Life is a verb. We try our best. We don’t always do our best.

Success is the child of two very plain parents--punctuality and accuracy.

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