“The knowledge beyond all other knowledge is the knowledge how to excuse.”

Difficulties, by bracing the mind to overcome them, assist cheerfulness, as exercise assists digestion.

Nothing is so fragile as thought in its infancy; an interruption breaks it: nothing is so powerful, even to overturning empires, when it reaches its maturity.

It is the nature of thought to find its way into action.

When all else is lost, the future still remains.

Courage enlarges, cowardice diminishes resources.

The most brilliant flashes of wit come from a clouded mind, as lightning leaps only from an obscure firmament.

Poverty is only contemptible when it is felt to be so. Doubtless the best way to make our poverty respectable is to seem never to feel it as an evil.

A woman’s love, like lichens upon a rock, will still grow where even charity can find no soil to nurture itself.

Something of a person’s character may be observed by how they smile. Some never smile they only grin.

The loveliest faces are to be seen by moonlight, when one sees half with the eye and half with the fancy.

Music is the fourth great material want, first food, then clothes, then shelter, then music.

The greatest happiness comes from the greatest activity.

Whether one talks well depends very much upon whom he has to talk to.

Few minds wear out; more rust out.

Heaven lent you a soul, Earth will lend a grave.

Within the sacred walls of libraries we find the best thoughts, the purest feelings, and the most exalted imaginings of our race.

Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.

Silence speaks so much louder than screaming tantrums. Never give anyone an excuse to say that you’re crazy.

The God excuse, the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument.

99% of failures come from people who make excuses.

You can have results or excuses. Not both.

Rainy days are just an excuse for pretty umbrellas. Don’t let it slow you down!

The world went mad and used us as an excuse.

Never trust cynics, as they excuse their own bad deeds by telling themselves everyone does it.