Don't join the book burner. Don't think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go to the library and read every book, so long as that document doesn't offend our own ideas of decency; that should be the only censorship.

Open your eyes that you may see The beauty that around you lies, The misty loveliness of the dawn, The glowing colors of the skies; The child's bright eager eyes of blue, The gnarled and wrinkled face of age, The bird with crimson on his wing Whose spirit never knew a cage; The roadsides' blooming goldenrod So brave through summer's wind and heat, The brook that rushes to the sea With courage that naught may defeat. Open your eyes that you may see The wonder that around you lies; It will enrich your every day And make you glad and kind and wise.

"What is the real good?" I asked in musing mood. "Order," said the law court; "Knowledge," said the school; "Truth," said the wise man; "Pleasure," said the fool; "Love," said the maiden; "Beauty," said the page; "Freedom," said the dreamer; "Home," said the sage; "Fame," said the soldier; "Equity," the seer. Spake my heart full sadly: "The answer is not here." Then within my bosom Softly this I heard: "Each heart holds the secret: 'Kindness is the word.'"

The man who misses all the fun Is he who says, "It can't be done." In solemn pride he stands aloof And greets each venture with reproof. Had he the power he'd efface The history of the human race; We'd have no radio or motor cars, No streets lit by electric stars; No telegraph nor telephone, We'd linger in the age of stone. The world would sleep if things were run By men who say "It can't be done."

What egregious fools are we! He hath passed his life in idleness, say we: "Alas, I have done nothing this day." What? have you not lived? It is not only the fundamental but the noblest of your occupation. "Had I been placed or thought fit for the managing of great affairs, I would have showed what I could have performed." Have you known how to meditate and manage your life? you have accomplished the greatest work of all.... Have you known how to compose your manners? you have done more than he who hath composed books. Have you known how to take rest? you have done more than he who hath taken Empires and Cities. The glorious masterpiece of man is to live to the purpose. All other things, as to reign, to govern, to hoard up treasure, to thrive and to build, are for the most part but appendixes and supports thereunto.

We men of Earth have here the stuff Of Paradise -- we have enough! We need no other stones to build The stairs into the Unfulfilled - No other ivory for the doors - No other marble for the floors - No other cedar for the beam And dome of man's immortal dream. Here on the paths of every-day - Here on the common human way Is all the stuff the gods would take To build a Heaven, to mold and make New Edens. Ours the stuff sublime To build Eternity in time!

'Tis an old maxim in the schools, That flattery's the food of fools; Yet now and then your men of wit Will condescend to take a bit.

Work while you work, Play while you play; That is the way To be cheerful and gay. All that you do, Do with your might; Things done by halves Are never done right. One thing each time, And that done well, Is a very good rule, As many can tell. Moments are useless Trifled away; So work while you work, And play while you play.

We have faith in old proverbs full surely, For Wisdom has traced what they tell, And Truth may be drawn up as purely From them, as it may from "a well." Let us question the thinkers and doers, And hear what they honestly say; And you'll find they believe, like bold wooers, In "Where there's a will there's a way." The hills have been high for man's mounting, The woods have been dense for his axe, The stars have been thick for his counting, The sands have been wide for his tracks, The sea has been deep for his diving, The poles have been broad for his sway, But bravely he's proved in his striving, That "Where there's a will there's a way." Have ye vices that ask a destroyer? Or passions that need your control? Let Reason become your employer, And your body be ruled by your soul. Fight on, though ye bleed in the trial, Resist with all strength that ye may; Ye may conquer Sin's host by denial; For "Where there's a will there's a way." Have ye Poverty's pinching to cope with? Does Suffering weigh down your might? Only call up a spirit to hope with, And dawn may come out of the night. Oh! much may be done by defying The ghosts of Despair and Dismay; And much may be gained by relying On "Where there's a will there's a way." Should ye see, afar off, that worth winning, Set out on the journey with trust; And ne'er heed if your path at beginning Should be among brambles and dust. Though it is but by footsteps ye do it, And hardships may hinder and stay; Walk with faith, and be sure you'll get through it For "Where there's a will there's a way." -Eliza Cook

It was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind. The first approached the elephant, And, happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl, "God bless me! but the elephant Is very like a wall" The second feeling of the tusk Cried: "Ho! what have we here So very round and smooth and sharp? To me 'tis mighty clear This wonder of an elephant Is very like a spear!" The third approached the animal, And, happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up and spake: "I see," quoth he, "the elephant, Is very like a snake!" The fourth reached out his eager hand, And felt about the knee; "What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain," quoth he; "'Tis clear enough the elephant Is very like a tree." The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: "E'en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most. Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an elephant Is very like a fan!" The sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope, Than, seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope, "I see," quoth he, "the elephant Is very like a rope!" And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong! So, oft in the theologic wars The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an elephant Not one of them has seen!

To awaken each morning with a smile brightening my face, to greet the day with reverence, for the opportunities it contains; to approach my work with a clean mind; to hold ever before me, even in the doing of little things, the Ultimate Purpose toward which I am working; to meet men and women with laughter on my lips and love in my heart, to be gentle, kind and courteous through all the hours; to approach the night with weariness that ever woos sleep and the joy that comes from work well done -- this is how I desire to waste wisely my days.

We are all citizens of one world, we are all of one blood. To hate a man because he was born in another country, because he speaks a different language, or because he take a different view on this subject or that, is a great folly. Desist, I implore you, for we are all equally human.... Let us have but one end in view, the welfare of humanity.

A little more kindness and a little less creed, A little more giving and a little less greed; A little more smile and a little less frown, A little less kicking a man when he's down; A little more "we" and a little less "I," A little more laugh and a little less cry; A few more flowers on the pathway of life, And fewer on graves at the end of the strife.

Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever.

To live with small means -- to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich -- to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly, to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart -- to bear all cheerfully -- do all bravely, await occasions, -- hurry never -- in a word to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.