No life
Can be pure in its purpose or strong in its strife
And all life not read more

No life
Can be pure in its purpose or strong in its strife
And all life not be purer and stronger thereby.

Blessed influence of one true loving human soul on another.

Blessed influence of one true loving human soul on another.

The future influences the present just as much as the past.

The future influences the present just as much as the past.

If the nose of Cleopatra had been shorter, the whole face of the
earth would have been changed.

If the nose of Cleopatra had been shorter, the whole face of the
earth would have been changed.

There is no such thing as a good influence. Because to influence a person is to give him one's own read more

There is no such thing as a good influence. Because to influence a person is to give him one's own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. His virtures are not real to him. His sins, if there are such thing as sins, are borrowed. He becomes an echo of someone else's music, an actor of a part that has not been written for him.

The strongest influences in my life and my work are always whomever I love. Whomever I love and am with read more

The strongest influences in my life and my work are always whomever I love. Whomever I love and am with most of the time, or whomever I remember most vividly. I think that's true of everyone, don't you?

Our life's a flying shadow, God the pole,
The needle pointing to Him is our soul.

Our life's a flying shadow, God the pole,
The needle pointing to Him is our soul.

Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.

Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.

Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole
city is affected by read more

Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole
city is affected by the licentious passions and vices of great
men, so it is likewise reformed by their moderation.