I am nothing and to nothing tend,
On earth I nothing have and nothing claim,
Man's noblest read more

I am nothing and to nothing tend,
On earth I nothing have and nothing claim,
Man's noblest works must have one common end,
And nothing crown the tablet of his name.

With hand on the spade and heart in the sky
Dress the ground and till it;
Turn read more

With hand on the spade and heart in the sky
Dress the ground and till it;
Turn in the little seed, brown and dry,
Turn out the golden millet.
Work, and your house shall be duly fed:
Work, and rest shall be won;
I hold that a man had better be dead
Than alive when his work is done.

The "value" or "worth" of a man is, as of all other things, his
price; that is to say, read more

The "value" or "worth" of a man is, as of all other things, his
price; that is to say, so much as would be given for the use of
his power.

Work thou for pleasure--paint or sing or carve
The thing thou lovest, though the body starve--
Who read more

Work thou for pleasure--paint or sing or carve
The thing thou lovest, though the body starve--
Who works for glory misses oft the goal;
Who works for money coins his very soul.
Work for the work's sake, then, and it may be
That these things shall be added unto thee.

People intoxicate themselves with work so they won't see how they really are.

People intoxicate themselves with work so they won't see how they really are.

Why, universal plodding poisons up
The nimble spirits in the arteries,
As motion and long-during action tires
read more

Why, universal plodding poisons up
The nimble spirits in the arteries,
As motion and long-during action tires
The sinewy vigor of the traveller.

Work is a necessary evil to be avoided.

Work is a necessary evil to be avoided.

Study until twenty-five, investigation until forty, profession
until sixty, at which age I would have him retired on a read more

Study until twenty-five, investigation until forty, profession
until sixty, at which age I would have him retired on a double
allowance.

I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for
hours. I love to keep read more

I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for
hours. I love to keep it by me: the idea of getting rid of it
nearly breaks my heart.