“It is not when the cable lies coiled up on the deck that you know how strong or how weak it is; it is when it is put to the test.”

A man’s character is the reality of himself; his reputation, the opinion others have formed about him; character resides in him, reputation in other people; that is the substance, this is the shadow.

Some people are proud of their humility.

If a man can have only one kind of sense, let him have common sense. If he has that and uncommon sense too, he is not far from genius.

Christianity is simply the ideal form of manhood represented to us by Jesus Christ.

The beginning is the promise of the end.

The things that hurt us teach us.

There is tonic in the things that men do not love to hear. Free speech is to a great people what the winds are to oceans and where free speech is stopped miasma is bred, and death comes fast.

The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!

True elegance becomes the more so as it approaches simplicity.

You never know till you try to reach them how accessible men are; but you must approach each man by the right door.

There are persons so radiant, so genial, so kind, so pleasure-bearin g, that you instinctively feel in their presence that they do you good; whose coming into a room is like bringing a lamp there.

We need not fear shipwreck when God is the pilot.

See to it that each hour’s feelings, and thoughts, and actions are pure and true; then will your life be such.

As warmth makes even glaciers trickle, and opens streams in the ribs of frozen mountains, so the heart knows the full flow and life of its grief only when it begins to melt and pass away.

It is not merely cruelty that leads men to love war, it is excitement.

People may talk about the equality of the sexes! They are not equal. The silent smile of a sensible, loving woman will vanquish ten men.