When we see a beautiful machine, we say that there is a good engineer, and that this engineer has excellent judgment. The world is assuredly an admirable machine. Therefore there is in the world an admirable intelligence, wherever it may be. Yes. This argument is old, but none the worse for that. from Voltaire’s Philosophical …
It is almost as hard for friends to meet as for the morning and evening stars. Tonight then is a rare event, joining in the candlelight two men who were young not long ago, but now are turning grey at the temples. To find that half our friends are dead shocks us, burns our hearts …
Build therefore, your own world. As fast as you conform your life to the pure idea in your mind, it will unfold in all of its great proportions. A correspondent revolution in things will attend the influx of the spirit. From Emerson, Nature.
Perform each action as if it were your last, without willfulness, or any passionate aversion to what reason approves, without hypocrisy or selfishness, or discontent with the decrees of Providence. You will then see how few things are necessary to master a smooth-flowing life. Marcus Aurelius.
To be good is to be in harmony with oneself. Discord is to be forced to be in harmony with others. Oscar Wilde.
To a good man nothing is evil, neither while living nor when dead. Socrates.
The counsels of Maximus taught me to command myself, to judge clearly, to be of good courage in sickness and other misfortunes, to be moderate, gentle, yet serious in disposition, and to accomplish my appointed task without repining. All men believed that Maximus spoke as he thought; and whatever he did, they knew it was …
We are sure of nothing in this life. Cervantes.