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The grandest of all laws is the law of progressive development. Under it, in the wide sweep of things, men grow wiser as they grow older, and societies better.

Christian Nestell Bovee

To vindicate the sanctity of human life by taking it is an outrage upon reason. The spectacle of a human being dangling at the end of a gallows-rope is a degradation of humanity.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Discrimination Human Humanity Life Reason
Example has more followers than reason. We unconsciously imitate what pleases us, and approximate to the characters we most admire.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Admire Character Follower Imitation Reason
All men are alike in their lower natures; it is in their higher characters that they differ.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Character Difference Man Nature
It is the nature of thought to find its way into action.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Action Finding Nature Thinking
We should round every day of stirring action with an evening of thought. We learn nothing of our experience except we muse upon it.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Action Day Exception Experience Learning Ourselves
Life is indeed either a rich possession or a poor, according as it is made subservient to noble aims or ignoble pleasures.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Happiness Life Poor Possession Rich
Men, like musical instruments, seem made to be played upon.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Instrument Man Music Play
In the assurance of strength there is strength; and they are the weakest, however strong, who have no faith in themselves or their powers.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Assurance Faith Power Strength Strong
It is with charity as with money–the more we stand in need of it, the less we have to give away.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Charity Money Stand
Good men have the fewest fears. He has but one great fear who fears to do wrong; he has a thousand who has overcome it.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Fear Goodness Greatness Himself Wrong
Dignity of position adds to dignity of character, as well as to dignity of carriage. Give us a proud position, and we are impelled to act up to it.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Act Carriage Character Dignity Proud
How like a railway tunnel is the poor man’s life, with the light of childhood at one end, the intermediate gloom, and only the glimmer of a future life at the other extremity!
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Childhood Future Life Man Poor
Words of praise, indeed, are almost as necessary to warm a child into a genial life as acts of kindness and affection. Judicious praise is to children what the sun is to flowers.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Children Flower Life Necessary Praise Sun Warm Word
The lively and mercurial are as open books, with the leaves turned down at the notable passages. Their souls sit at the windows of their eyes, seeing and to be seen.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Book Eyes Live Mercy Open See Soul Window
The most brilliant flashes of wit come from a clouded mind, as lightning leaps only from an obscure firmament.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Brilliant Intelligence Light Mindset
Something of a person’s character may be observed by how they smile. Some never smile they only grin.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE

Character Observation Person Smile