A tragic writer does not have to believe in God, but he must believe in man. Joseph Wood Krutch More Quotes by Joseph Wood Krutch More Quotes From Joseph Wood Krutch To be individually righteous is the first of all duties, come what may to ones self, to one's country, to society, and to civilization itself. Joseph Wood Krutch self integrity country Man is the only one in whom the instinct of life falters long enough to enable it to ask the question "Why? Joseph Wood Krutch enough men long Not to have known - as most men have not - either the mountain or the desert is not to have known one's self. Not to have known one's self is to have known no one. Joseph Wood Krutch hiking journey men Perhaps we are wiser, less foolish and more far-seeing than we were two hundred years ago. But we are still imperfect in all these things, and since the turn of the century it has been remarked that neither wisdom nor virtue have increased as rapidly as the need for both. Joseph Wood Krutch two years needs The most important part of our lives-our sensations, emotions, desires, and aspirations-takes place in a universe of illusions which science can attenuate or destroy, but which it is powerless to enrich. Joseph Wood Krutch emotion important desire The most serious charge which can be brought against New England is not Puritanism, but February.... Spring is too far away to comfort even by anticipation, and winter long ago lost the charm of novelty. This is the very three a.m. of the calendar. Joseph Wood Krutch long-ago winter spring Nature, in her blind thirst for life has filled every possible cranny of the rotting earth with some sort of fantastic creature. Joseph Wood Krutch rotting nature earth Any euphemism ceases to be euphemistic after a time and the true meaning begins to show through. It's a losing game, but we keep on trying. Joseph Wood Krutch losing games trying Long before I ever saw the desert I was aware of the mystical overtones which the observation of nature made audible to me. But I have never been more frequently or more vividly aware of them than in connection with the desert phenomena. Joseph Wood Krutch nature science long If only the fit survive and if the fitter they are the longer they survive, then Volvox must have demonstrated its superb fitness more conclusively than any higher animal ever has. Joseph Wood Krutch survival animal science Few people have ever seriously wished to be exclusively rational. The good life which most desire is a life warmed by passions and touched with that ceremonial grace which is impossible without some affectionate loyalty to traditional form and ceremonies. Joseph Wood Krutch good-life passion loyalty What a man knows is everywhere at war with what he wants. Joseph Wood Krutch want men war How anyone can profess to find animal life interesting and yet take delight in reducing the wonder of any animal to a bloody mass of fur or feathers? Joseph Wood Krutch compassion animal life In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats. Joseph Wood Krutch kitten cat eye The typical American believes that no necessity of the soul is free and that there are precious few, if any, which cannot be bought. Joseph Wood Krutch typical soul believe Man is, perhaps, no more prone to war than he used to be and no more inclined to commit other evil deeds. But a given amount of ill will or folly will go further than it used to. Joseph Wood Krutch ill-will men war We have not merely escaped from something but into something... We have joined the greatest of all communities, which is not that of man alone but of everything which shares with us the great adventure of being alive. Joseph Wood Krutch nature adventure men The cockroach and the bird were both here long before we were. Both could. Joseph Wood Krutch cockroaches bird long Custom has furnished the only basis which ethics have ever had. Joseph Wood Krutch customs bases ethics Only those within whose own consciousness the sun rise and set, the leaves burgeon and wither, can be said to be aware of what living is. Joseph Wood Krutch consciousness sun life
