Elements of the heroic exist in almost every individual: it is only the felicitous development of them all in one that is rare. Christian Nestell Bovee More Quotes by Christian Nestell Bovee More Quotes From Christian Nestell Bovee To no circumstance is the wide diffusion of error in the world more owing than to our habit of adopting conclusions from insufficiently established data. An indispensable preliminary, then, in every investigation, is to get at facts. Until these are arrived at, every opinion, theory, or system, however ingeniously framed, must necessarily rest upon an uncertain basis. Christian Nestell Bovee data errors world We cannot reason ourselves into love, nor can we reason ourselves out of it, which suggests that love and reason have little to do with each other. Christian Nestell Bovee reason littles love Love makes a few weeks so rich that all the rest of our lives seems poor in comparison. Christian Nestell Bovee rich week love Successful minds work like a gimlet--to a single point. Christian Nestell Bovee gimlets mind success Satire is an abuse of wit. It corrects few evils. Christian Nestell Bovee satire abuse evil It is so natural for us to consider our presence as indispensable in the world, so long as we have much to do in it, that the wisdom of retiring wholly from employments in advanced life may be questioned. Certainly, he who does so is in danger of finding, before long, that he has only given up the occupation to which he has been accustomed, for the new business of calculating the period of his decease. Christian Nestell Bovee doe retirement long Resentments, carried too far, expose us to a fate analogous to that of the fish-hawk, when he strikes his talons too deep into a fish beyond his capacity to lift, and is carried under and drowned by it. Christian Nestell Bovee hawks resentment fate However much of time, labor, or other means it takes to establish a reputation, it frequently happens that it requires nearly as much to maintain it. One who has written a good book, is expected on all occasions to "talk like a book." Or, if one has achieved an act of heroism, he is expected to perform acts of heroism for the edification of all who approach him. There are people who can never believe they see a lion unless they hear him roar. Christian Nestell Bovee mean believe book The questions most furiously discussed are those which have in them a basis of truth, and yet a large admixture of errors. We inconsiderately take hold of, and mistakingly support or oppose them, as either wholly true or wholly false. Christian Nestell Bovee bases support errors We repose too much upon the actual, when we should be seeking to develop the possibilities of our being. It is true of nearly all of us, that what we have done is little compared with what we might have accomplished, or may hereafter effect. Christian Nestell Bovee done may littles When we get tired of enjoying all the pleasures within our reach, we have still a resource in thinking of others that are not. Christian Nestell Bovee tired pleasure thinking It is difficult to say which is the greatest evil--to have too violent passions, or to be wholly devoid of them. Controlled with firmness, guided by discretion, and hallowed by the imagination, the passions are the vivifiers and quickeners of our being. Without passion there can be no energy of character. Indeed, the passions are like fire, useful in a thousand ways, and dangerous only in one--through their excess. Christian Nestell Bovee passion fire character There are seaons when our passions have slept so long that we know not whether they still exist in us. So does flax forget that it is combustible when the fire is away from it. Christian Nestell Bovee passion fire long A man cannot paint portraits till he has seen faces. Christian Nestell Bovee portraits faces men Our opinions partake, more or less, of the prejudices of our class, party, or sect. We are all largely pledged, through interest, affection, or passion, to particular classes of opinion, and the strength of efforts to get released from these pledges, is the measure of our advancement. Christian Nestell Bovee passion party class Youth is the season of receptivity, and should be devoted to acquirement; and manhood of power--that demands an earnest application. Old age is for revision. Christian Nestell Bovee revision demand age One must have been, at some time or other, in a situation where a small sum was as necessary almost as life itself, with no more ability to raise it than to raise the dead, before he can fully appreciate the value of money. Christian Nestell Bovee ability appreciate money Men were created for something better than merely to make money. A close application to business, until a competence is gained, is one of the chief virtues; but to continue in trade long after this result is obtained, is one of the signs, not to be mistaken, of a sordid and ignoble nature. Christian Nestell Bovee money men long It is not the number of facts he knows, but how much of a fact he is himself, that proves the man. Christian Nestell Bovee numbers men facts I desire to go through life knowing as little of evil in it as possible. To this end, I sometimes avoid looking too closely into the nature of things, studying them only so far as they seem to be good, and abandoning interest in them as soon as their darker feature begin to appear. The good only deserves a hearty interest. Christian Nestell Bovee knowing evil desire
