Will Christian
Will Christian
hero development elements
Elements of the heroic exist in almost every individual: it is only the felicitous development of them all in one that is rare.
gratitude favors
We absolve a friend from gratitude when we remind him of a favor.
five-senses importance duty
Besides the five senses, there is a sixth sense, of equal importance--the sense of duty.
disappointment party earth
A particular disappointment is seldom more than an excrescence upon the trunk of a general good--a shower that spoils the pleasure party, but refreshes and enriches the earth.
differences quarrels over-it
The less the difference, the greater the quarrel over it.
destiny people needs
A great destiny needs a generous diet.... What can be expected of a people that live on macaroni!
desire want natural
The natural wants are few, and easily gratified: it is only those which are artificial that perplex us by their multiplicity.
laziness may disease
The cause of laziness is physiological; it is an infirmity of the constitution, and its victim is as much to be pitied as a sufferer from any other constitutional infirmity. It is even worse than many other diseases; from them the patient may recover, while this is incurable.
leadership fall play
Who aspires to remain leader must keep in advance of his column. His fear must not play traitor to his occasions. The instant he falls into line with his followers, a bolder spirit may throw himself at the head of the movement initiated, and in that moment his leadership is gone.
tired thinking pleasure
When we get tired of enjoying all the pleasures within our reach, we have still a resource in thinking of others that are not.
passion character fire
It is difficult to say which is the greatest evil--to have too violent passions, or to be wholly devoid of them. Controlled with firmness, guided by discretion, and hallowed by the imagination, the passions are the vivifiers and quickeners of our being. Without passion there can be no energy of character. Indeed, the passions are like fire, useful in a thousand ways, and dangerous only in one--through their excess.
passion fire long
There are seaons when our passions have slept so long that we know not whether they still exist in us. So does flax forget that it is combustible when the fire is away from it.
party passion class
Our opinions partake, more or less, of the prejudices of our class, party, or sect. We are all largely pledged, through interest, affection, or passion, to particular classes of opinion, and the strength of efforts to get released from these pledges, is the measure of our advancement.
money appreciate ability
One must have been, at some time or other, in a situation where a small sum was as necessary almost as life itself, with no more ability to raise it than to raise the dead, before he can fully appreciate the value of money.