As but a swift glance is enough to catch the glory of a great landscape, or only a little lingering is necessary to observe many peculiar beauties in it, so but a brief turn of the mind to sublime thoughts… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
Meditation is first quietness. We live in a great din. It is well to see (for who sees it not will have but narrow sympathies and understand little that occurs around him) that the noise is often a noble uproar, "deep calling unto deep," the clamor of wonderful machinery, of great labors, of human struggles, of heroes' voices. But storms,… — James Vila Blake Copy Share
Meditation ... must be power of will and strength of attention, being like a flight to great heights wherein wings must be plied hard… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
Democracy has become, unless I mistake, a kind of test or shibboleth, by which we try men and measures; and this is the same as to say that it is merely a word which is powerful with us, and not the wide and true notion of what the word means. But we must define the true import of words, and… — James Vila Blake Copy Share
Luck, good or bad, is the invisible play of mind upon affairs, the effect of mental aptitudes and habits which are not in sight,… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
It is worth thought what kind of mind or condition or disposition is open to flattery; for poison would not be spread if the… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
As anger is a passion, it is to be ruled; as it is a weak passion, he is weak who rules it not. — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
An enemy will train us in watchfulness; for if he be wary to seize on every error and trip us, we shall be more… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
This is our great covenant: To dwell together in peace, To seek the truth in love, And to help one another. — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
The greatness of common sense, and its title to reverence, appear in this, that it deals with vast complexity, that is, with the innumerable… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
Like all passions, anger has degrees, ascending from slight vexation through deepening clouds to rage, and finally to fury, which is a black and… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
when a great war has cut off the young men of a nation it never can be told thereafter what losses of scholars, poets,… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
The fear of death has been raised too much and set up on high, especially by preachers, like the brazen serpent in the wilderness… — James Vila Blake Copy Share Image
