Public opinion contains all kinds of falsity and truth, but it takes a great man to find the truth in it. The great man of the age... is the one who can put into words the will of his age, tell his age what its will is, and accomplish it. What he does is the heart and the essence of his age, he actualizes his age. The man who lacks sense enough to despise public opinion expressed in gossip will never do anything great.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
What gave peculiar sanctity to numbers? Why were a million people, who all resembled each other, any way more interesting than one... person? What aspiration could she help to put into the mind of this great million-armed monster that would make it worth her love or respect? Religion? A thousand powerful churches were doing their best, and she could see no chance for a new faith of which she was to be the inspired prophet. Ambition? High popular ideals? Passion for whatever is lofty and pure? The very words irritated her.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
"What have I gained?" "Experience," said Holmes, laughing. "Indirectly it may be of value, you know; you have only to put it ...into words to gain the reputation of being excellent company for the remainder of your existence."LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
For thousands of years human beings have communicated with one another first in the language of dress. Long before I am near enoug...h to talk to you on the street, in a meeting, or at a party, you announce your sex, age, and class to me through what you are wearing--and very possibly give me important information (or misinformation) as to your occupation, origin, personality, opinions, tastes, sexual desires, and current mood. I may not be able to put what I observe into words, but I register the information unconsciously; and you simultaneously do the same for me. By the time we meet and converse we have already spoken to each other in an older and more universal tongue.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Have you learned the alphabet of heaven and can count three? Do you know the number of God's family? Can you put mysteries into wo...rds? Do you presume to fable of the ineffable? Pray, what geographer are you, that speak of heaven's topography? Whose friend are you, that speak of God's personality?... Yet we have a sort of family history of our God,--so have the Tahitians of theirs,--and some old poet's grand imagination is imposed on us as adamantine everlasting truth, and God's own word. Pythagoras says, truly enough, "A true assertion respecting God is an assertion of God"; but we may well doubt if there is any example of this in literature.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I call on those that call me son, Grandson, or great-grandson,... On uncles, aunts, great-uncles or great-aunts To judge what I have done. Have I, that put it into words, Spoilt what old loins have sent?LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »