A man must be able to cut a knot, for everything cannot be untied; he must know how to disengage what is essential from the detail in which it is enwrapped, for everything cannot be equally considered; in a word, he must be able to simplify his duties, his business and his life.
The great artist and thinker are the simplifiers.
Almost everything comes from almost nothing.
Habits count for more than maxims, because habit is a living maxim, becomes flesh and instinct. To reform one's maxims is nothing: it is but to change the title of the book.
The stationary condition is the beginning of the end
To know how to suggest is the art of teaching.
It is by teaching that we teach ourselves, by relating that we observe, by affirming that we examine, by showing that we look, by writing that we think, by pumping that we draw water into the well.
Our systems, perhaps, are nothing more than an unconscious apology for our faults, a gigantic scaffolding whose object is to hide from us our favorite sin.
Pure truth cannot be assimilated by the crowd; it must be communicated by contagion.
To know how to suggest is the great art of teaching. To attain it we must be able to guess what will interest; we must learn to read the childish soul as we might a piece of music. Then, by simply changing the key, we keep up the attraction and vary the song.
Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind.
Everything you need for better future and success has already been written. And guess what? All you have to do is go to the library.
Common sense is calculation applied to life.
Common sense is the measure of the possible; it is composed of experience and prevision; it is calculation applied to life.
The man who insists upon seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides. Accept life, and you must accept regret.
Clever people will recognize and tolerate nothing but cleverness.
Cleverness is serviceable for everything, sufficient for nothing.
Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.
If nationality is consent, the state is compulsion.
Action is coarsened thought; thought becomes concrete, obscure, and unconscious.
