No punishment is so terrible as prosperous guilt. William Ellery Channing More Quotes by William Ellery Channing More Quotes From William Ellery Channing Labor is discovered to be the grand conqueror, enriching and building up nations more surely than the proudest battles. William Ellery Channing building-up battle labor All noble enthusiasms pass through a feverish stage, and grow wiser and more serene William Ellery Channing noble enthusiasm wise It is chiefly through books that we enjoy the intercourse with superior minds. William Ellery Channing enjoy mind book Do anything rather than give yourself to reverie. William Ellery Channing reverie giving The worst tyrants are those which establish themselves in our own breasts. William Ellery Channing tyrants worst enemy A man in earnest finds means or, if he cannot find, creates them. William Ellery Channing inspirational men mean He who is false to the present duty breaks a thread in the loom, and you will see the effect when the weaving of a life-time is unraveled. William Ellery Channing weaving thread break My highway is unfeatured air, My consorts are the sleepless stars, And men my giant arms upbear My arms unstained and free from scars. William Ellery Channing stars air men The reveries of youth, in which so much energy is wasted, are the yearnings of a Spirit made for what it has not found but must forever seek as an Ideal William Ellery Channing energy spirit forever It is far more important to me to preserve an unblemished conscience than to compass any object however great. William Ellery Channing compass objects important Life is a fragment, a moment between two eternities. William Ellery Channing moments life two Natural amiableness is too often seen in company with sloth, with uselessness, with the vanity of fashionable life. William Ellery Channing friends vanity sloth Of all the discoveries which men need to make, the most important, at the present moment, is that of the self-forming power treasured up in themselves. They little suspect its extent, as little as the savage apprehends the energy which the mind is created to exert on the material world. William Ellery Channing self discovery men Real greatness has nothing to do with a man’s sphere. It does not lie in the magnitude of his outward agency, in the extent of the effects which he produces. The greatest men may do comparatively little. William Ellery Channing greatness real lying A clear thought, a pure affection, a resolute act of a virtuous will, have a dignity of quite another kind, and far higher than accumulations of brick and granite and plaster and stucco, however cunningly put together. William Ellery Channing bricks dignity together Perhaps in our presence, the most heroic deed on earth is done in some silent spirit, the loftiest purpose cherished, the most generous sacrifice made, and we do not suspect it. I believe this greatness to be most common among the multitude, whose names are never heard. William Ellery Channing sacrifice greatness believe Men are never very wise and select in the exercise of a new power. William Ellery Channing power wise exercise A man may quarrel with himself alone; that is, by controverting his better instincts and knowledge when brought face to face with temptation. William Ellery Channing temptation may men I am a living member of the great family of all souls. William Ellery Channing members oneness soul To live content with small means, to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich, to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly, to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart, to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never, in a word to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common, this is to be my symphony. William Ellery Channing
