Humor has justly been regarded as the finest perfection of poetic genius. Thomas Carlyle on humor
Laughter is one of the very privileges of reason, being confined to the human species. Thomas Carlyle on laughter
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood. Thomas Carlyle on life
Everywhere the human soul stands between a hemisphere of light and another of darkness; on the confines of the two everlasting empires, necessity and free will. Thomas Carlyle on necessity
Under all speech that is good for anything there lies a silence that is better, Silence is deep as Eternity; speech is shallow as Time. Thomas Carlyle on silence
Alas! while the body stands so broad and brawny, must the soul lie blinded, dwarfed, stupefied, almost annihilated? Alas! this was, too, a breath of God, bestowed in heaven, but on earth never to be unfolded! Thomas Carlyle on spirituality
The eye sees what it brings the power to see. Thomas Carlyle on vision
The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green Thomas Carlyle on work
I'm very brave generally," he went on in a low voice: "only today I happen to have a headache." Lewis Carroll on courage
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots. The other is wings. Hodding Carter Jr. on inspiration
We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles. Jimmy Carter on change
When it is not necessary to change, it is necessary not to change. Lucius Cary on change
Laugh at your friends, and if your friends are sore; So much the better, you may laugh the more. Giovanni G. Casanova on laughter
The avocation of assessing the failures of better men can be turned into a comfortable livelihood, providing you back it up with a Ph.D. Nelson Algren on criticism
The men who succeed are the efficient few. They are the few who have the ambition and will power to develop themselves. Herbert N. Casson on success
No one can build his security upon the nobleness of another person. Willa Cather on independence
An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes. Cato the Elder on anger
The same words conceal and declare the thoughts of men. Dionysius Cato on words
The whole business of your life overwhelms you when you live alone. One’s stupefied by it. To get rid of it you try to daub some of it off on to people who come to see you, and they hate that. To be alone trains one for death. Louis-Ferdinand Céline on business
Everything beautiful has its moment and then passes away Luis Cernuda on beauty