Every man's work, whether it be literature, or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself.
The youth of an art is, like the youth of anything else, its most interesting period. When it has come to the knowledge of good and evil it is stronger, but we care less about it.
Words are not as satisfactory as we should like them to be, but, like our neighbours, we have got to live with them and must make the best and not the worst of them.
Priests are not men of the world it is not intended that they should be and a University training is the one best adapted to prevent their becoming so.
We all like to forgive, and love best not those who offend us least, nor who have done most for us, but those who make it most easy for us to forgive them.
He has spent his life best who has enjoyed it most. God will take care that we do not enjoy it any more than is good for us.
All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.
To himself everyone is immortal he may know that he is going to die, but he can never know that he is dead.
Mr. Tennyson has said that more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of, but he wisely refrains from saying whether they are good or bad things.
What is faith but a kind of betting or speculation after all? It should be, I bet that my Redeemer liveth.
The seven deadly sins: Want of money, bad health, bad temper, chastity, family ties, knowing that you know things, and believing in the Christian religion.
Some men love truth so much that they seem to be in continual fear lest she should catch a cold on overexposure.
An apology for the devil: it must be remembered that we have heard one side of the case. God has written all the books.
Theist and atheist: the fight between them is as to whether God shall be called God or shall have some other name.
If God wants us to do a thing, he should make his wishes sufficiently clear. Sensible people will wait till he has done this before paying much attention to him.
To know God better is only to realize how impossible it is that we should ever know him at all. I know not which is more childish to deny him, or define him.
He has spent his life best who has enjoyed it most. God will take care that we do not enjoy it any more than is good for us.
The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.
From a worldly point of view, there is no mistake so great as that of being always right.
The history of the world is the record of the weakness, frailty and death of public opinion.
All philosophies, if you ride them home, are nonsense, but some are greater nonsense than others.
A sense of humor keen enough to show a man his own absurdities will keep him from the commission of all sins, or nearly all, save those worth committing.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but a little want of knowledge is also a dangerous thing.
The youth of an art is, like the youth of anything else, its most interesting period. When it has come to the knowledge of good and evil it is stronger, but we care less about it.
Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on.
A man's friendships are, like his will, invalidated by marriage - but they are also no less invalidated by the marriage of his friends.
Marriage is distinctly and repeatedly excluded from heaven. Is this because it is thought likely to mar the general felicity?