“What would be the use of immortality to a person who cannot use well half an hour?”

“Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst...They are for nothing but to inspire.”

“Why covet a knowledge of new facts? Day and night, house and garden, a few books, a few actions, serve us as well as would all trades and all spectacles. We are far from having exhausted the significance of the few symbols we use. We can come to use them yet with a terrible simplicity.”

“Before we acquire great power we must acquire wisdom to use it well.”

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

“Use language what you will, you can never say anything but what you are.”

“Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.”