“The universe is a thought of God.”

I have enjoyed earthly happiness, I have lived and loved.

As freely as the firmament embraces the world, or the sun pours forth impartially his beams, so mercy must encircle both friend and foe.

Art is difficult, transient is her reward.

Happy he who learns to bear what he cannot change.

No doubt the artist is the child of his time; but woe to him if he is also its disciple, or even its favorite.

The rich become richer and the poor become poorer is a cry heard throughout the whole civilized world.

We are too prone to find fault; let us look for some of the perfections.

Even in a righteous cause force is a fearful thing.

The very plants turn with a joyful transport to the light.

It is criminal to steal a purse, daring to steal a fortune, a mark of greatness to steal a crown. The blame diminishes as the guilt increases.

Obedience decks the Christian most.

Knowledge, the object of knowledge and the knower are the three factors which motivate action; the senses, the work and the doer comprise the threefold basis of action.

The man who fears nothing is as powerful as he who is feared by everybody.

Secrecy is for the happy,–misery, hopeless misery, needs no veil; under a thousand suns it dares act openly.

Have Hope. Though clouds environs now, And gladness hides her face in scorn, Put thou the shadow from thy brow, – No night but hath its morn.

Love can sun the realms of night.

I couldn’t help wondering if that was what God put me on Earth for–to find out how much a man could take without breaking.

God loves human beings. God loves the world. Not an ideal human, but human beings as they are; not an ideal world, but the real world. What we find repulsive in their opposition to God, what we shrink back from with pain and hostility, namely, real human beings, the real world, this is for God the ground of unfathomable love.

Fate would have no divinity if we were wise: it is we who make her a goddess and place her in heaven.

Venus is kind to creatures as young as we; We know not what we do, and while we’re young We have the right to live and love like gods.

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions.

Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.

May God in his mercy lead us through these times; but above all, may he lead us to himself.