“You can make even a parrot into a learned political economist – all he must learn are the two words “supply” and “demand.””

Of all God’s creatures, Man alone is poor.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do that with all thy might and leave the issues calmly to God.

No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, could ever compel the soul of man to believe or to disbelieve: it is his own indefeasible light, that judgment of his; he will reign and believe there by the grace of God alone!

Every noble work is at first impossible.

No man lives without jostling and being jostled; in all ways he has to elbow himself through the world, giving and receiving offence.

A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.

No man sees far, most see no farther than their noses.

Nothing stops the man who desires to achieve. Every obstacle is simply a course to develop his achievement muscle. It’s a strengthening of his powers of accomplishment.

In every phenomenon the beginning remains always the most notable moment.

To say that we have a clear conscience is to utter a solecism; had we never sinned we should have had no conscience. Were defeat unknown, neither would victory be celebrated by songs of triumph.

The eternal stars shine out again, so soon as it is dark enough.

No person is important enough to make me angry.

Every day that is born into the world comes like a burst of music and rings the whole day through, and you make of it a dance, a dirge, or a life march, as you will.

They only are wise who know that they know nothing.

Tell a person they are brave and you help them become so.

Silence is as deep as eternity, speech a shallow as time.

I discovered that if one looks a little closer at this beautiful world, there are always red ants underneath.

Dogs are indeed the most social, affectionate, and amiable animals of the whole brute creation.

When you wrestle with a pig, he has fun, and you just end up dirty.

Butterflies and birds are like one perfect teaspoon of creation.

Orcas are my spirit animal. That’s my favorite mammal.

You can get the monkey off your back, but the circus never leaves town.

I write many essays on whales. I love whales, especially orcas. And dolphins.

They say that hens do cackle loudest when there is nothing vital in the eggs they have laid.