One must be rich in thought and character to owe nothing to books, though preparation is necessary to profitable reading; and the less reading is better than more;--book-struck men are of all readers least wise, however knowing or learned. Amos Bronson Alcott More Quotes by Amos Bronson Alcott More Quotes From Amos Bronson Alcott The less routine the more life. Amos Bronson Alcott routine life-changing life A government, for protecting business only, is but a carcass, and soon falls by its own corruption and decay. Amos Bronson Alcott mind-your-own-business government fall Our ideals are our better selves. Amos Bronson Alcott idealism self inspirational Our friends interpret the world and ourselves to us, if we take them tenderly and truly. Amos Bronson Alcott friends friendship world Our bravest and best lessons are not learned through success, but through misadventure. Amos Bronson Alcott deep-thought lessons humor Ignorance is innocence - stupidity comes with experience Amos Bronson Alcott innocence stupidity ignorance Where there is a mother in the home, matters go well. Amos Bronson Alcott mom mother home Prudence is the footprint of Wisdom. Amos Bronson Alcott prudence footprint One does not see his thought distinctly till it is reflected in the image of another's. Amos Bronson Alcott doe To be ignorant of one's ignorance is the malady of the ignorant. Amos Bronson Alcott humorous ignorance inspirational I find my past in my present, and from these forecast my future. Amos Bronson Alcott forecasts future past Debate is masculine, conversation is feminine. Amos Bronson Alcott feminine debate conversation Where women are, the better things are implied if not spoken. Amos Bronson Alcott implied women ifs Anger is the resentment of the animal, and gentle blood alone makes the gentleman. Amos Bronson Alcott anger animal blood Yet the deepest truths are best read between the lines, and, for the most part, refuse to be written. Amos Bronson Alcott refuse written lines The true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence. He inspires self-trust. He guides their eyes from himself to the spirit that quickens him. He will have no disciples. Amos Bronson Alcott teaching education teacher Nature is the armory of genius. Cities serve it poorly, books and colleges at second hand; the eye craves the spectacle of the horizon; of mountain, ocean, river and plain, the clouds and stars; actual contact with the elements, sympathy with the seasons as they rise and roll. Amos Bronson Alcott ocean stars nature If the ancients left us ideas, to our credit be it spoken that we moderns are building houses for them -- structures which neither Plato nor Archimedes had dreamed possible. Amos Bronson Alcott building-houses plato ideas Traveling is no fool's errand to him who carries his eyes and itinerary along with him. Amos Bronson Alcott errands eye travel Like birds of passage, the instincts drift the soul adventurously beyond the horizon of sensible things, as if intent on convoying it to the mother country from whence it had flown. Amos Bronson Alcott mother bird country
