“Imperfection is in some sort essential to all that we know in life.”

“To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality.”

“But if you can fix some conception of a true human state of life to be striven for — life, good for all men, as for yourselves; if you can determine some honest and simple order of existence; following those trodden ways of wisdom, which are pleasantness, and seeking her quiet and withdrawn paths, which are peace; — then, and so sanctifying wealth into 'commonwealth,' all your art, your literature, your daily labours, your domestic affection, and citizen's duty, will join and increase into one magnificent harmony. You will know then how to build, well enough; you will build with stone well, but with flesh better; temples not made with hands, but riveted of hearts; and that kind of marble, crimson-veined, is indeed eternal. ”

“What we think or what we know or what we believe is in the end of little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do”

“Life being very short, and the quiet hours of it few, we ought to waste none of them in reading valueless books.”

“What right have you to take the word wealth, which originally meant ''well-being,'' and degrade and narrow it by confining it to certain sorts of material objects measured by money.”

“All that we call ideal in Greek or any other art, because to us it is false and visionary, was, to the makers of it, true and existent.”