He who studies books alone will know how things ought to be, and he who studies men will know how they are. 2.45K
Physical courage, which despises all danger, will make a man brave in one way; and moral courage, which despises all opinion, will make a man brave in another. 812
To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than their own hearts in their closet. 861
Happiness, that grand mistress of the ceremonies in the dance of life, impels us through all its mazes and meanderings, but leads none of us by the same route. 794
To be obliged to beg our daily happiness from others bespeaks a more lamentable poverty than that of him who begs his daily bread. 1.05K
Ladies of Fashion starve their happiness to feed their vanity, and their love to feed their pride. 2.47K
Constant success shows us but one side of the world; adversity brings out the reverse of the picture. 817
The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary. 1.2K
Doubt is the vestibule through which all must pass before they can enter into the temple of wisdom. 767
Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance. 730
There is this difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man, really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool. 798
That writer does the most who gives his reader the most knowledge and takes from him the least time. 1.44K
Knowledge is two-fold, and consists not only in an affirmation of what is true, but in the negation of that which is false. 724
Some read to think, – these are rare; some to unite,- these are common; and some to talk,- and these form the great majority. 2.53K
Of the professions it may be said that soldiers are becoming too popular, parsons too lazy, physicians too mercenary, and lawyers too powerful. 1.86K