The soul of man is not a thing which comes and goes, is builded and decays like the elemental frame in which it is set to dwell, but a very living force, a very energy of God's organic will, which rules and moulds this universe. James Anthony Froude More Quotes by James Anthony Froude More Quotes From James Anthony Froude To be enthusiastic about doing much with human nature is a foolish business indeed; and, throwing himself into his work as he was doing, and expecting so much from it, would not the tide ebb as strongly as it was flowing? It is a rash game this setting our hearts on any future beyond what we have our own selves control over. Things do not walk as we settle with ourselves they ought to walk, and to hope is almost the correlative of to be disappointed. James Anthony Froude self games heart Life is more than a theory, and love of truth butters no bread: old men who have had to struggle along their way, who know the endless bitterness, the grave moral deterioration which follow an empty exchequer, may well be pardoned for an over-wish to see their sons secured from it; hunger, at least, is a reality. James Anthony Froude struggle reality son Scepticism, like wisdom, springs out in full panoply only from the brain of a god, and it is little profit to see an idea in its growth, unless we track its seed to the power which sowed it. James Anthony Froude track spring ideas Do you not think that sometimes when matters are at the worst with us, when we appear to have done all which we ourselves can do, yet all has been unavailing, and we have only shown we cannot, not we will not, help ourselves; that often just then something comes, almost as if supernaturally, to settle for us, as if our guardian angel took pity on our perplexities, and then at last obtained leave to help us? And if it be so, then what might only be a coincidence becomes a call of Providence, a voice from Heaven, a command. James Anthony Froude voice angel thinking Where nature is sovereign, there is no need of austerity and self-denial. James Anthony Froude denial nature self Once, once for all, if you would save your heart from breaking, learn this lesson once for all you must cease, in this world, to believe in the eternity of any creed or form at all. Whatever grows in time is a child of time, and is born and lives, and dies at its appointed day like ourselves. James Anthony Froude heart believe children I scarcely know a professional man I can like, and certainly not one who has been what the world calls successful, that I should the least wish to resemble. James Anthony Froude successful wish men You cannot reason people into loving those whom they are not drawn to love; they cannot reason themselves into it; and there are some contrarieties of temper which are too strong even for the obligations of relationship. James Anthony Froude strong reason people Just laws are no restraint upon the freedom of the good, for the good man desires nothing which a just law will interfere with. James Anthony Froude good-man law men That which especially distinguishes a high order of man from a low order of man, that which constitutes human goodness, human nobleness, is surely not the degree of enlightenment with which men pursue their own advantage; but it is self-forgetfulness; it is self-sacrifice; it is the disregard of personal pleasure, personal indulgence, personal advantage, remote or present, because some other line of conduct is more right. James Anthony Froude sacrifice self men I cut a hole in my heart and wrote with the blood. James Anthony Froude cutting heart blood Those who seek for something more than happiness in this world must not complain if happiness is not their portion. James Anthony Froude complaining happiness world Experience is no more transferable in morals than in art. James Anthony Froude moral experience art For me this world was neither so high nor so low as the Church would have it; chequered over with its wild light shadows, I could love it and all the children of it, more dearly, perhaps, because it was not all light. James Anthony Froude shadow light children English character and English freedom depend comparatively little on the form which the Constitution assumes at Westminster. A centralised democracy may be as tyrannical as an absolute monarch; and if the vigour of the nation is to continue unimpaired, each individual, each family, each district, must preserve as far as possible its independence, its self-completeness, its powers and its privilege to manage its own affairs and think its own thoughts. James Anthony Froude self character thinking Who shall say that those poor peasants were not acting in the spirit we most venerate, most adore; that theirs was not the true heart language which we cannot choose but love? And what has been their reward? They have sent down their name to be the by-word of all after ages; the worst reproach of the worst men a name convertible with atheism and devil-worship. James Anthony Froude names heart men I could never fear a God who kept a hell prison-house. No, not though he flung me there because I refused. There is a power stronger than such a one; and it is possible to walk unscathed even in the burning furnace. James Anthony Froude burning stronger house In everyday things the law of sacrifice takes the form of positive duty. James Anthony Froude everyday-things sacrifice law Science rests on reason and experiment, and can meet an opponent with calmness; [but] a creed is always sensitive. James Anthony Froude calm opponents science No person is ever good for much, that hasn't been swept off their feet by enthusiasm between ages twenty and thirty James Anthony Froude twenties age feet
