William Ellery Channing Quotes

I call that mind free, which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master, which does not content itself with a passive or hereditary faith, which opens itself to light whencesoever it may come.

The cry has been that when war is declared, all opposition should be hushed. A sentiment more unworthy of a free country could hardly be propagated.

Faith is love taking the form of aspiration.

It is chiefly through books that we enjoy the intercourse with superior minds...

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 listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart. To study hard, to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common — this is my symphony.

Every mind was made for growth, for knowledge, and its nature is sinned against when it is doomed to ignorance.

Jangan melepaskan kepribadian anda dan menjadi orang lain.
Jadilah diri anda sendiri.

god be thanked for books. they are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of the past ages

The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.

The best books for a man are not always those which the wise recommend, but often those which meet the peculiar wants, the natural thirst of his mind, and therefore awaken interest and rivet thought.

Every human being is intended to have a character of his own; to be what no others are, and to do what no other can do.

a man in earnest finds means, or if he cannot find he creates them. A vigorous purpose makes much out of little, breathes power into weak instruments, disarms difficulties, and even turns them into assistances. Every condition has means of progress, if we have spirit enough to use them.

It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds. In the best books, great men talk to us, give us their most precious thoughts, and pour their souls into ours. God be thanked for books; they are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of past ages. Books are true levelers. They give to all who will faithfully use them, the society, the spiritual presence, of the best and greatest of our race.

No power in society, no hardship in your condition can depress you, keep you down, in knowledge, power, virtue, influence, but by your own consent.

To me it seems that the soul, in all its higher actions, in original thought, in the creations of genius, in the soarings of imagination, in its love of beauty and grandeur, in its aspirations after a pure and unknown joy, and especially in disinterestedness, in the spirit of self-sacrifice, and in enlightened devotion, has a character of infinity.