Instrumental or mechanical science is the noblest and, above all others, the most useful.

Science brings men nearer to God.

Science is the noblest of the arts and men of science the most artistic of all artists.

Of all the sciences cultivated by mankind, Astronomy is acknowledged to be, and undoubtedly is, the most sublime, the most interesting, and the most useful. For, by knowledge derived from this science, not only the bulk of the Earth is discovered . . . ; but our very faculties are enlarged with the grandeur of the ideas it conveys, our minds exalted above [their] low contracted prejudices.

O comfortable allurement, O ravishing persuasion to deal with a science whose subject is so ancient, so pure, so excellent, so surrounding all creatures, so used of the almighty and incomprehensible wisdom of the Creator, in distinct creation of all creatures: in all their distinct parts, properties, natures, and virtues, by order, and most absolute number, brought from nothing to the formality of their being and state.

The noblest study of mankind is Man, says Man.

The greatest science in the world; in heaven and on earth; is love.

Therefore he wants us to know that the noblest thing he ever made is mankind, and the supreme essence and the most exalted virtue is the blessed soul of Christ. And furthermore he wants us to know that Christ’s beloved soul was preciously joined to him in the making; with a knot so subtle and so strong that it is united to God; and in this unity it is made endlessly holy. Furthermore, he wants us to know that all the souls which shall be saved in heaven without end are united and joined in this unity, and made holy in this holiness.

All learning is useful, all the sciences are curious, all the arts are beautiful; but the most useful, most curious and most beautiful is perfect knowledge and perfect government of oneself.

A bit of science distances one from God, but much science nears one to Him.

No science is more worthy of cultivation and encouragement than that which, calculating time by the aid of Astronomy, adjusts the results of observations thus obtained to the ordinary use and instruction of man.

Amid all these holy acts, the knowledge of self (should be translated, knowledge of the Self, Ātmā) is said (to be) the highest; this indeed is the foremost of all sciences, since from it immortality is obtained.* [* xii. 85. Trans. of Burnell and Hopkins.]

Little science takes you away from God but more of it takes you to Him.

I maintain that the cosmic religious feeling is the strongest and noblest motive for scientific research.