Amos Bronson Alcott
Amos Bronson Alcott
Amos Bronson Alcottwas an American teacher, writer, philosopher, and reformer. As an educator, Alcott pioneered new ways of interacting with young students, focusing on a conversational style, and avoided traditional punishment. He hoped to perfect the human spirit and, to that end, advocated a vegan diet before the term was coined. He was also an abolitionist and an advocate for women's rights...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionEducator
Date of Birth29 November 1799
CountryUnited States of America
Man must have some recognized stake in society and affairs to knit him lovingly to his kind, or he is wont to revenge himself for wrongs real or imagined.
A man defines his standing at the court of chastity by his views of women.
Science has grown frightfully audacious in these days -- swift-footed, ponderous, careering over her iron ways with unslacking pace. This rampant dragon, on which I am mounted, see how he bends his once stiff neck to his rider, champing his checked bit and pawing the dust, impatient to leap around the globe. Genius is prescient, foresees its own might. Man is striving through these iron-ribbed, steam-sped hippogriffs, to recover his lost ubiquity and omnipotence, and threatens soon to grasp in his ample palm, and fix with flaming eye-ball, the elemental forces!
Travel makes all men countrymen, makes people noblemen and kings, every man tasting of liberty and dominion.
What higher praise can we bestow on any one than to say of him that he harbors another's prejudices with a hospitality so cordial as to give him, for the time, the sympathy next best to, if indeed it be not edification in, charity itself. For what disturbs more and distracts mankind than the uncivil manners that cleave man from man?
No one is promiscuous in his way of dying. A man who has decided to hang himself will never jump in front of a train.
Wherever comes man comes tragedy and comedy also.
Man is a living lie--a bitter jest Upon himself--a conscious grain of sand Lost in a desert of unconsciousness.
The mind is fast emancipating itself from the dominion of man and of matter. It has let loose fearful forces on the world.
First find the man in yourself if you will inspire manliness in others.
Egotists cannot converse, they talk to themselves only.
The fable runs that the gods mix our pains and pleasure in one cup, and thus mingle for us the adulterate immortality which we alone are permitted here to enjoy. Voluptuous raptures, could we prolong these at pleasure, would dissipate and dissolve us. A sip is the most that mortals are permitted from any goblet of delight.
Truth is inclusive of all the virtues, is older than sects and schools, and, like charity, more ancient than mankind.
A candid spirit is mightier than the most persistent dogmatism.