Having once decided to achieve a certain task, achieve it at all costs of tedium and distaste. The gain in self confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labor is immense. Arthur Helps More Quotes by Arthur Helps More Quotes From Arthur Helps The thing which makes one man greater than another, the quality by which we ought to measure greatness, is a man's capacity for loving. Arthur Helps quality greatness men Rare almost as great poets, rarer, perhaps, than veritable saints and martyrs; are consummate men of business. A man, to be excellent in this way, requires a great knowledge of character, with that exquisite tact which feels unerringly the right moment when to act. A discreet rapidity must pervade all the movements of his thought and action. He must be singularly free from vanity, and is generally found to be an enthusiast who has the art to conceal his enthusiasm. Arthur Helps business character art Love, like the opening of the heavens to the Saints, shows for a moment, even to the dullest man, the possibilities of the human race. He has faith, hope, and charity for another being, perhaps but a creation of his imagination: still it is a great advance for a man to be profoundly loving even in his imaginations. Arthur Helps imagination race love There are few who would need advisers, if they were only accustomed to appeal to themselves in their calmest, holiest moments. If, when embarrassed with doubt as to any course of action, they would turn aside from the immediate tumult of the world, and from the vain speaking of those who "darken counsel by words without knowledge;" and would then commune with their hearts alone, at night, the heavens their silent counsellors, they would act not always in accordance with the wise men of this world, but with that wisdom which bringeth peace. Arthur Helps wisdom wise heart Thoughts there are, not to be translated into any language, and spirits alone can read them. Arthur Helps language spirit We are frequently understood the least by those who have known us the longest. Arthur Helps known understood It is better in some respects to be admired by those with whom you live than to be loved by them; and this not on account of any gratification of vanity, but because admiration is so much more tolerant than love. Arthur Helps accounts admiration vanity Extremely foolish advice is likely to be uttered by those who are looking at the laboring vessel from the land. Arthur Helps land foolish advice Experience is the extract of suffering. Arthur Helps suffering No doubt hard work is a great police agent. If everybody were worked from morning till night, and then carefully locked up, the register of crime might be greatly diminished. But what would become of human nature? Where would be the room for growth in such a system of things? It is through sorrow and mirth, plenty and need, a variety of passions, circumstances, and temptations, even through sin and misery, that men's natures are developed. Arthur Helps passion hard-work morning Infinite toil would not enable you to sweep away a mist; but by ascending a little, you may often look over it altogether. So it is with our moral improvement: we wrestle fiercely with a vicious habit, which could have no hold upon us if we ascended into a higher moral atmosphere. Arthur Helps atmosphere toil littles Many know how to please, but know not when they have ceased to give pleasure. Arthur Helps please pleasure giving Always say a kind word if you can, if only that it may come in, perhaps, with singular opportuneness, entering some mournful man's darkened room, like a beautiful firefly, whose happy circumvolutions he cannot but watch, forgetting his many troubles. Arthur Helps firefly kindness beautiful It is in length of patience, endurance and forbearance that so much of what is good in mankind and womankind is shown. Arthur Helps forbearance endurance patience Men of much depth of mind can bear a great deal of counsel; for it does not easily deface their own character, nor render their purposes indistinct. Arthur Helps advice character men We all admire the wisdom of people who come to us for advice. Arthur Helps admire wisdom advice people Everywhere I have sought rest and not found it, except sitting in a corner by myself with a little book. Arthur Helps rest myself sitting book Choose an author as you choose a friend. Arthur Helps author choose friend you
