The ordinary man looking at a mountain is like an illiterate person confronted with a Greek manuscript.
—Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) English Occultist, Mystic, Magician
What is important in life is life, and not the result of life.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-American Philosopher, Poet, Sculptor
The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom on the mountains. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The wind will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.
—John Muir (1838–1914) Scottish-born American Naturalist
The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
Men have an extraordinarily erroneous opinion of their position in nature; and the error is ineradicable.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Those who live are those who fight.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.
—Martin Luther (1483–1546) German Protestant Theologian
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.
—E. B. White (1985–99) American Essayist, Humorist
Nature hangs out her sign everywhere.
—German Proverb
Nature has made up her mind that what cannot defend itself shall not be defended.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Nature is slow, but sure; she works no faster than need be; she is the tortoise that wins the race by her perseverance.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
A man finds in the productions of nature an inexhaustible stock of material on which he can employ himself, without any temptations to envy or malevolence, and has always a certain prospect of discovering new reasons for adoring the sovereign author of the universe.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Nature, in her most dazzling aspects or stupendous parts, is but the background and theater of the tragedy of man.
—John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn (1838–1923) British Writer, Journalist, Political Leader, Editor
In contemplation of created things, by steps we may ascend to God.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
Nature, like man, sometimes weeps from gladness.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
I have wrestled with death. It is the most unexciting contest you can imagine. It takes place in an impalpable grayness, with nothing underfoot, with nothing around, without spectators, without clamor, without glory, without the great desire of victory, without the great fear of defeat.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
Life is tragic for those who have plenty to live on and nothing to live for.
—Unknown
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Nature is a frugal mother, and never gives without measure. When she has work to do, she qualifies men for that and sends them equipped.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
However much you knock at nature’s door, she will never answer you in comprehensible words.
—Ivan Turgenev (1818–83) Russian Novelist, Playwright
The unnatural, that too is natural.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Nature gives all, without reservation, and loses nothing; man or woman, grasping all, loses everything.
—James Allen (1864–1912) British Philosophical Writer
This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.
—John Muir (1838–1914) Scottish-born American Naturalist
Joy, rather than happiness, is the goal of life, for joy is the emotion which accompanies our fulfilling our natures as human beings. It is based on the experience of one’s identity as a being of worth and dignity.
—Rollo May (1909–94) American Philosopher
Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
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