An unimaginative person can neither be reverent nor kind. John Ruskin More Quotes by John Ruskin More Quotes From John Ruskin Mountains are to the rest of the body of the earth, what violent muscular action is to the body of man. The muscles and tendons of its anatomy are, in the mountain, brought out with force and convulsive energy, full of expression, passion, and strength. John Ruskin passion expression men No peace was ever won from fate by subterfuge or argument; no peace is ever in store for any of us, but that which we shall win by victory over shame or sin--victory over the sin that oppresses, as well as over that which corrupts. John Ruskin fate winning peace My mother's influence in molding my character was conspicuous. She forced me to learn daily long chapters of the Bible by heart. To that discipline and patient, accurate resolve I owe not only much of my general power of taking pains, but of the best part of my taste for literature. John Ruskin pain mother heart It is a strange thing how little in general people know about the sky. It is the part of creation in which nature has done more for the sake of pleasing man. John Ruskin nature sky men No one can ask honestly or hopefully to be delivered from temptation unless he has himself honestly and firmly determined to do the best he can to keep out of it. John Ruskin determined temptation hope It is impossible, as impossible as to raise the dead, to restore anything that has ever been great or beautiful in architecture. That which I have insisted upon as the life of the whole, that spirit which is given only by the hand and eye of the workman, can never be recalled. John Ruskin eye beautiful hands No false knight or lying priest ever prospered, I believe, in any age, but certainly not in the dark ones. Men prospered then, only in following openly-declared purposes , and preaching candidly beloved and trusted creeds. John Ruskin birthday love lying Man's only true happiness is to live in hope of something to be won by him. Reverence something to be worshipped by him, and love something to be cherished by him, forever. John Ruskin forever love men No human being, however great, or powerful, was ever so free as a fish. John Ruskin powerful sea lakes I believe that the first test of a great man is his humility. I don't mean by humility, doubt of his power. But really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not of them, but through them. And they see something divine in every other man and are endlessly, foolishly, incredibly merciful. John Ruskin humility mean believe An infinitude of tenderness is the chief gift and inheritance of all truly great men. John Ruskin greatest-love inspirational men There is in every animal's eye a dim image and gleam of humanity, a flash of strange light through which their life looks out and up to our great mystery of command over them, and claims the fellowship of the creature if not of the soul. John Ruskin light eye animal The strength and power of a country depends absolutely on the quantity of good men and women in it. John Ruskin dont-give-up strength country He is the greatest artist who has embodied, in the sum of his works, the greatest number of the greatest ideas. John Ruskin numbers ideas art Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight. John Ruskin delight color blue No girl who is well bred, 'kind, and modest, is ever offensively plain; all real deformity means want of manners, or of heart. John Ruskin real heart mean He that would be angry and sin not, must not be angry with anything but sin. John Ruskin sins-not anger would-be Come, ye cold winds, at January's call, On whistling wings, and with white flakes bestrew The earth. John Ruskin white wings wind Life without industry is guilt, and industry without art is brutality. John Ruskin political life art The higher a man stands, the more the word vulgar becomes unintelligible to him. John Ruskin vulgar literature men