Every man, however good he may be, has a still better man dwelling in him which is properly himself, but to whom nevertheless he is often unfaithful. It is to this interior and less unstable being that we should attach ourselves, not to the changeable every-day man.
Man reconciles himself to almost every event, however trying, if it happens in the ordinary course of nature. It is the extraordinary that he rebels against.
Prayer is intended to increase the devotion of the individual, but if the individual himself prays he requires no formulæ…. Real inward devotion knows no prayer but that arising from the depths of its own feelings.
Sich über das Höherstehende alles Urtheils zu enthalten, ist eine zu edle Eigenschaft, als das häufig sein könnte—To refrain from all criticism of what ranks above us is too noble a virtue to be of every-day occurrence.
The mere reality of life would be inconceivably poor without the charm of fancy, which brings in its bosom, no doubt, as many vain fears as idle hopes, but lends much oftener to the illusions it calls up a gay flattering hue than one which inspires terror.
Work, according to my feeling, is as much of a necessity to man as eating and sleeping. Even those who do nothing which to a sensible man can be called work, still imagine that they are doing something. The world possesses not a man who is an idler in his own eyes.
