(Page 36.)

CHARACTER.

To be able simply to say of a man he has character,* is not only saying much of him, but extolling him; for this is a rarity which excites respect and wonder.

(Page 37.)

A MARK OF CHARACTER.

By nothing do men show their character more clearly than by what they think laughable.

THE LAUGHABLE.

The witty man thinks almost everything ridiculous; the wise man scarcely anything.

CAN NOT WILL NOT.

A man can do what he ought to do; and when he says he can not he will not.

It would be convenient if we made a distinction in English between having character and having a character, applying the former expression to consistency and independence (without eccentricity), and continuing to use the latter in its present sense.

(Page 39.)

OCCUPATION.

Nature has made occupation a necessity to us; society makes it a duty; habit may make it a pleasure.

(Page 42.)

REAL HAPPINESS AND GREATNESS.

He alone is happy and great who needs neither to obey nor to command in order to distinguish himself.*

STUDY AND THOUGHT.

Certain people study all their life; at their death they have learnt everything except to think.

(Page 43.)

NATURALNESS OF TRUTH.

Truth comes home to the mind so naturally, that when we learn it for the first time, it seems as though we did no more than recall it to our memory.

* Lit.: in order to be something.

(Page 44.)

NATURE.

Nature is a boundless sphere, of which the centre is everywhere, the circumference nowhere.

TRUTH AND BEAUTY.

Truth can work powerfully even when directed by the worst hand; but in the case of the Beautiful it is the vessel that makes the contents.

(Page 45.)

MORAL BEAUTY.

Moral beauty is the basis of all true beauty. This foundation is somewhat covered and veiled in nature. Art brings it out, and gives it more transparent forms. It is here that art, when it knows well its power and resources, engages in a struggle with nature in which it may have the advantage.

ART.

Art neither belongs to religion nor to ethics; but, like these, it brings us nearer to the Infinite, one of

L

the forms of which it manifests to us. God is the source of all beauty, as of all truth, of all religion, of all morality. The most exalted object, therefore, of art is to reveal in its own manner the sentiment of the Infinite.

(Page 47.)

IMAGINATION WITHOUT TASTE.

There is nothing more fearful than imagination without taste.

(Page 49.)

DOGMATISM.

It is profound ignorance that inspires a dogmatic tone. He who knows nothing, believes he is teaching others what he has just learned himself: he who knows much, scarcely thinks that what he says can be unknown by others; and he speaks with less assurance.*

* "With more indifferency" would be the better translation, if this word could he regarded as generally conveying the sense given to it by Locke in the chapter on INDIFFER(On the Conduct of the Understanding. §. XI.

ENCY.

(Page 50.)

EDUCATION, STATE INTERFERENCE IN.

In a well-ordered community everything encourages men to cultivate their natural powers: without any interference therein, their education will be good.

The aid of Government is not necessary to educational reform: private exertion will suffice.

(Page 52.)

EDUCATION OF DAUGHTERS.

See, indeed, that your daughter is thoroughly grounded and experienced in household duties; but take care through religion and poetry to keep her heart open to heaven: press the earth closely around the food-conveying roots of the plant, but let none fall into its blossom.