“Wherein lies happiness? In that which becks Our ready minds to fellowship divine, A fellowship with essence; till we shine, Full alchemiz’d, and free of space. Behold The clear religion of heaven!”

What is more gentle than a wind is summer?

Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul?

Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul?

If poetry does not come as naturally as leaves to a tree, then it better not come at all.

The poetry of earth is never dead When all the birds are faint with the hot sun, And hide I cooling trees, a voice will run From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead.

Nothing ever becomes real till experienced – even a proverb is no proverb until your life has illustrated it.

My mind has been the most discontented and restless one that ever was put into a body too small for it.

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness; but still will keep A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

Some say the world is a vale of tears, I say it is a place of soul-making.

Philosophy will clip an angel’s wings, Conquer all mysteries by rule and line, Empty the haunted air, and gnomed mine – Unweave a rainbow.

If I should die, I have left no immortal work behind me — nothing to make my friends proud of my memory — but I have loved the principle of beauty in all things, and if I had had time I would have made myself remembered.

The creature has a purpose, and his eyes are bright with it.

The open sky sits upon our senses like a sapphire crown – the Air is our robe of state – the Earth is our throne, and the Sea a mighty minstrel playing before it.

I love your hills and I love your dales, And I love your flocks a-bleating; but oh, on the heather to lie together, With both our hearts a-beating!

To stay youthful, stay useful.

I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart’s affections, and the truth of imagination.

The way of life can be free and beautiful. But we have lost the way.

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

The road to freedom is a difficult, hard road. It always makes for temporary setbacks.

People need to free their minds of all racial prejudice.

For it is in your power to retire into yourself whenever you choose.

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.

No punishment, in my opinion, is to great, for the man who can build his greatness upon his country’s ruin.