Passion is begotten of passion, and it easily happens, as with the children of great men, that the base is the offspring of the noble. John Lancaster Spalding More Quotes by John Lancaster Spalding More Quotes From John Lancaster Spalding Where it is the chief aim to teach many things, little education is given or received. John Lancaster Spalding chiefs given littles He who leaves school, knowing little, but with a longing for knowledge, will go farther than one who quits, knowing many things, but not caring to learn more. John Lancaster Spalding knowing caring school The innocence which is simply ignorance is not virtue. John Lancaster Spalding innocence virtue ignorance If there are but few who interest thee, why shouldst thou be disappointed if but few find thee interesting? John Lancaster Spalding disappointed thee interesting We may avoid much disappointment and bitterness of soul by learning to understand how little necessary to our joy and peace are the things the multitude most desire and seek. John Lancaster Spalding disappointment soul joy What we think out for ourselves forms channels in which other thoughts will flow. John Lancaster Spalding form flow thinking It is a common error to imagine that to be stirring and voluble in a worthy cause is to be good and to do good. John Lancaster Spalding errors causes common The world is chiefly a mental fact. From mind it receives the forms of time and space, the principle of casuality[sic], color, warmth, and beauty. Were there no mind, there would be no world. John Lancaster Spalding color space mind Whom little things occupy and keep busy, are little men. John Lancaster Spalding little-things littles men The doctrine of the utter vanity of life is a doctrine of despair, and life is hope. John Lancaster Spalding doctrine vanity despair It is not difficult to grasp and express thoughts that float on the stream of current opinion: but to think and rightly utter what is permanently true and interesting, what shall appeal to the best minds a thousand years hence, as it appeals to them to-day, this is the work of genius. John Lancaster Spalding years interesting thinking They whom trifles distract and nothing occupies are but children. John Lancaster Spalding trifles children As our power over others increases, we become less free; for to retain it, we must make ourselves its servants. John Lancaster Spalding power-over-others increase servant If thou need money, get it in an honest way by keeping books, if thou wilt, but not by writing books. John Lancaster Spalding writing book needs The writers who accomplish most are those who compel thought on the highest and most profoundly interesting subjects. John Lancaster Spalding accomplish subjects interesting Though what we accept be true, it is a prejudice unless we ourselves have considered and understood why and how it is true. John Lancaster Spalding being-true prejudice accepting Those subjects have the greatest educational value, which are richest in incentives to the noblest self-activity. John Lancaster Spalding incentives educational self Unless we consent to lack the common things which men call success, we shall hardly become heroes or saints, philosophers or poets. John Lancaster Spalding saint hero men