"Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul; unbelief, in denying them."

"Better to know a few things which are good and necessary than many things which are useless and mediocre."

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."

"Prayer that craves a particular commodity, — any thing less than all good, — is vicious."

"To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars."

"If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile."

"For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else."