Be noble! and the nobleness that lies
In other men, sleeping, but never dead,
Will rise in read more

Be noble! and the nobleness that lies
In other men, sleeping, but never dead,
Will rise in majesty to meet thine own.

Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always from the noblest motives.

Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always from the noblest motives.

I was no Marie Antoinette. I was not born to nobility, but I had a human right to nobility.

I was no Marie Antoinette. I was not born to nobility, but I had a human right to nobility.

There is nothing noble in being superior to some other person. The true nobility is in being superior to your read more

There is nothing noble in being superior to some other person. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.

A noble soul alone can noble souls attract;
And knows alone, as ye, to hold them.
[Ger., read more

A noble soul alone can noble souls attract;
And knows alone, as ye, to hold them.
[Ger., Ein edler Mensch zieht edle Menschen an,
Und weiss sie fest zu halten, wie ihr thut.]

There are epidemics of nobleness as well as epidemics of disease.

There are epidemics of nobleness as well as epidemics of disease.

Fond man! though all the heroes of your line
Bedeck your halls, and round your galleries shine
read more

Fond man! though all the heroes of your line
Bedeck your halls, and round your galleries shine
In proud display; yet take this truth from me--
Virtue alone is true nobility!

Whoe'er amidst the sons
Of reason, valor, liberty and virtue,
Displays distinguished merit, is a noble
read more

Whoe'er amidst the sons
Of reason, valor, liberty and virtue,
Displays distinguished merit, is a noble
Of Nature's own creating.

Men of noble birth are noted to be envious towards new men when they rise. For the distance is altered, read more

Men of noble birth are noted to be envious towards new men when they rise. For the distance is altered, and it is like a deceit of the eye, that when others come on they think themselves go back.