WIST Quotations

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- “Nature,” ch. 8, Nature: Addresses and Lectures (1849)

Dave — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 04:08:02 +0000

The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“Nature,” ch. 8, Nature: Addresses and Lectures (1849)
(Source)

Reade, Charles -- The Cloister and the Hearth, ch. 1 (1861)

Dave — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 17:10:04 +0000

Not a day passes over the earth but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words, and suffer noble sorrows.

Charles Reade (1814-1884) English novelist and dramatist
The Cloister and the Hearth, ch. 1 (1861)

Vivekananda -- Swami Vivekananda on Universal Ethics and Moral Conduct [ed. Swami Ranganathananda (1965)]

Dave — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 13:46:01 +0000

If you really want to judge the character of a man, look not at his great performances. Every fool may become a hero at one time or another. Watch a man do his most common actions; these are indeed the things which will tell you the real character of a great man.

Vivekananda (1863-1902) Indian Hindu monk, spiritual reformer, nationalist [b. Narendra Nath Datta]
Swami Vivekananda on Universal Ethics and Moral Conduct [ed. Swami Ranganathananda (1965)]

Butler, Samuel -- Prose Observations. “Nature” [ed. de Quehen (1979)]

Dave — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:41:58 +0000

All the works of Nature are Miracles, and nothing makes them appear otherwise but our Familiarity with them.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Prose Observations. “Nature” [ed. de Quehen (1979)]

Balzac, Honoré de -- Physiology of Marriage (1829)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Marriage must continually vanquish the monster that devours everything, the monster of habit.

Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) French novelist, playwright
Physiology of Marriage (1829)

Alt. trans.: "Marriage must constantly fight against a monster which devours everything: routine."