Quotes About Reflection

When a man is pushed, tormented, defeated, he has a chance to learn something.

All men plume themselves on the improvement of society, and no man improves.

Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special good fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration. I am glad to the brink of fear.

Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startles out wonder as to who we are, and for what, whence, and whereto.

People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.

The years teach us much, which the days never knew.

Never read a book that is not a year old.

Only so much of life do I know as I have lived.

Solitude is impractical and yet society is fatal.

But, if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from these heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime... But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.

So much of our time is preparation, so much is routine, and so much retrospect, that the path of each man's genius contracts itself to a very few hours.

It is not the length of life, but the depth of life. He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.

Bare lists of words are found suggestive to an imaginative and excited mind.

Years teach much which the days never knew.

To fill the hour,—that is happiness; to fill the hour, and leave no crevice for a repentance or an approval.

In the work of a writer of genius, we rediscover our own neglected thoughts.

Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst...They are for nothing but to inspire.

Every calamity is a spur and a valuable hint.

That which we call sin in others is experiment for us.

It does not to dwell on dreams and forget to live, but it is equally foolish to ignore the past – never forget.

I am sure of this, that by going much alone a man will get more of a noble courage in thought and word than from all the wisdom that is in books.

Thought is the seed of action; but action is as much its second form as thought is its first.

He then learns that in going down into the secrets of his own mind, he has descended into the secrets of all minds.

Every man in his lifetime needs to thank his faults.