What a vast fraternity it is,--that of 'Hearts that Ache.' For the last three months it has seemed to me as though all society wer...e coming to me, to drop its mask for a moment and initiate me into the mystery. How we do suffer! And we go on laughing; for, as a practical joke at our expense, life is a success.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Your letter is come; it came indeed twelve lines ago, but I could not stop to acknowledge it before, & I am glad it did not...r />arrive till I had completed my first sentence, because the sentence had been made since yesterday, & I think forms a very good beginning.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
The Greeks have given to the world the science of history; the Israelites gave to the world historical religion. In contrast to al...l their neighbors, both peoples knew what history is; this is no consequence of their mental giftedness, however, for there is another reason. Through mighty events both peoples experienced what history is, and by the investment of their lives they made history. The peculiar mental capacity of each of the two peoples comes to the fore in the way in which they experience history and express it. For both peoples history was a source of present and future knowledge. Thucydides wrote his history because what happened would, according to human ways, surely happen again in the future in the same or a similar way. This was conceived in a genuinely Greek way, for history is an eternal repetition; nothing new happens under the sun. Even in the stream of eternally changing events the Greeks sought the unalterable, the regular occurrence. Thus they employed the same method with regard to history as with regard to nature because history was a piece of nature. For this reason their mental life can justifiably be called non-historical. If God is to be found, he must be sought in the unalterable, in mental being, in the Ideas. God revealed himself to the Israelites in history and not in Ideas; he revealed himself when he acted and created. His being was not learned through propositions but known in actions.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
This letter will be delivered to you by my child,--the child of my adoption,--my affection! Unblest with one natural friend, she m...erits a thousand. I send her to you innocent as an angel, and artless as purity itself; and I send you with her the heart of your friend, the only hope he has on earth, the subject of his tenderest thoughts, and the object of his latest cares.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Your letter of excuses has arrived. I receive the letter but do not admit the excuses except in courtesy, as when a man treads on ...your toes and begs your pardon--the pardon is granted, but the joint aches, especially if there is a corn upon it.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
It is by far the most elegant worship, hardly excepting the Greek mythology. What with incense, pictures, statues, altars, shrines..., relics, and the real presence, confession, absolution,--there is something sensible to grasp at. Besides, it leaves no possibility of doubt; for those who swallow their Deity, really and truly, in transubstantiation, can hardly find any thing else otherwise than easy of digestion.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
If doubtful whether to end with "yours faithfully," or "yours truly," or "yours most truly," &c. (there are at least a dozen varie...ties, before you reach "yours affectionately"), refer to your correspondent's last letter, and make your winding-up at least as friendly as his: in fact, even if a shade more friendly, it will do no harm!LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I am not of the opinion generally entertained in this country [England], that man lives by Greek and Latin alone; that is, by know...ing a great many words of two dead languages, which nobody living knows perfectly, and which are of no use in the common intercourse of life. Useful knowledge, in my opinion, consists of modern languages, history, and geography; some Latin may be thrown into the bargain, in compliance with custom, and for closet amusement.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »