A thing is worth what it can do for you, not what you choose to pay for it. John Ruskin More Quotes by John Ruskin More Quotes From John Ruskin I will not kill or hurt any living creature needlessly, nor destroy any beautiful thing, but will strive to save and comfort all gentle life, and guard and perfect all natural beauty upon the earth. John Ruskin hurt animal beautiful There is no wealth but life. Life, including all its powers of love, of joy, and of admiration. That country is the richest which nourishes the greatest numbers of noble and happy human beings; that man is richest, who, having perfected the functions of his own life to the utmost, has also the widest helpful influence, both personal, and by means of his possessions, over the lives of others. John Ruskin men mean country The question is not what man can scorn, or disparage, or find fault with, but what he can love, and value, and appreciate. John Ruskin thank-you appreciation love The whole difference between a man of genius and other men, it has been said a thousand times, and most truly, is that the first remains in great part a child, seeing with the large eyes of children, in perpetual wonder, not conscious of much knowledge--conscious, rather of infinite ignorance, and yet infinite power; a fountain of eternal admiration, delight, and creative force within him meeting the ocean of visible and governable things around him. John Ruskin ocean ignorance children There are no such things as Flowers there are only gladdened Leaves. John Ruskin flower literature A man is born an artist as a hippopotamus is born a hippopotamus; and you can no more make yourself one than you can make yourself a giraffe. John Ruskin giraffe men art Every noble life leaves the fibre of it interwoven forever in the work of the world. John Ruskin noble forever life No human face is exactly the same in its lines on each side, no leaf perfect in its lobes, no branch in its symmetry. All admit irregularity as they imply change; and to banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality. All things are literally better, lovelier, and more beloved for the imperfections which have been divinely appointed, that the law of human life may be Effort, and the law of human judgment, Mercy. John Ruskin expression law happiness Make yourselves nests of pleasant thoughts. None of us knows what fairy palaces we may build of beautiful thought-proof against all adversity. Bright fancies, satisfied memories, noble histories, faithful sayings, treasure houses of precious and restful thoughts, which care cannot disturb, nor pain make gloomy, nor poverty take away from us. John Ruskin pain beautiful memories The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world... to see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion all in one. John Ruskin women soul doe Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless; peacocks and lilies for instance. John Ruskin beautiful beauty love We require from buildings two kinds of goodness: first, the doing their practical duty well: then that they be graceful and pleasing in doing it. John Ruskin design two firsts There is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. John Ruskin rainy-day change running "Taste is not only a part and index of morality, it is the only morality. The first, and last, and closest trial question to any living creature is "What do you like?" Tell me what you like, I'll tell you what you are." John Ruskin lasts taste firsts Being thus prepared for us in all ways, and made beautiful, and good for food, and for building, and for instruments of our hands, this race of plants, deserving boundless affection and admiration from us, becomes, in proportion to their obtaining it, a nearly perfect test of our being in right temper of mind and way of life; so that no one can be far wrong in either who loves trees enough, and everyone is assuredly wrong in both who does not love them, if his life has brought them in his way. John Ruskin race beautiful life God gives us always strength enough, and sense enough, for what He wants us to do; if we either tire ourselves or puzzle ourselves, it is our own fault. John Ruskin religious god giving The Bible is the one Book to which any thoughtful man may go with any honest question of life or destiny and find the answer of God by honest searching. John Ruskin christian bible book Let every dawn of morning be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as its close: — then let every one of these short lives leave its sure record of some kindly thing done for others — some goodly strength or knowledge gained for yourselves. John Ruskin short-life dawn morning To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality. John Ruskin vitality imperfection expression It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. John Ruskin too-much littles pay