A man's character is his guardian divinity.

A man's character is his guardian divinity.

Vitanda est improba Siren Desidia. (That shameful Siren, sloth, is ever to be avoided.)

Vitanda est improba Siren Desidia. (That shameful Siren, sloth, is ever to be avoided.)

A great unrecognized incapacity.
[Fr., Une grande incapacite inconnue.]

A great unrecognized incapacity.
[Fr., Une grande incapacite inconnue.]

Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree read more

Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

Resolved: never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my read more

Resolved: never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

Instead of saying that man is the creature of circumstance, it would be nearer the mark to say that man read more

Instead of saying that man is the creature of circumstance, it would be nearer the mark to say that man is the architect of circumstance. It is character which builds an existence out of circumstance. From the same materials one man builds palaces, another hovels; one warehouses, another villas; bricks and mortar are mortar and bricks until the architect can make them something else.

Inner liberty can be judged by how often a person feels offended, for you can no more insult a mature read more

Inner liberty can be judged by how often a person feels offended, for you can no more insult a mature man that you can paint the air.

The discipline you learn and character you build from setting and achieving a goal can be more valuable than the read more

The discipline you learn and character you build from setting and achieving a goal can be more valuable than the achievement of the goal itself.

Trials, temptations, disappointments -- all these help instead of hinder, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the read more

Trials, temptations, disappointments -- all these help instead of hinder, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fiber of a character, but strengthen it. Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.