Seneca
Seneca
gift gifts immortal life living philosophy
Life is a gift of the immortal Gods, but living well is the gift of philosophy
philosophers-and-philosophy philosophy plato received regard
Philosophy does not regard pedigree, she received Plato not as a noble, but she made him one.
building carried drudgery equally form inventing inventions lessons lies lowest men object office pace parts perfection philosophy rapid teach time warmth windows writer
In my own time there have been inventions of this sort, transparent windows tubes for diffusing warmth equally through all parts of a building short-hand, which has been carried to such a perfection that a writer can keep pace with the most rapid speaker. But the inventing of such things is drudgery for the lowest slaves; philosophy lies deeper. It is not her office to teach men how to use their hands. The object of her lessons is to form the soul.
ashamed causes either following man results sadness success
Sadness usually results from one of the following causes either when a man does not succeed, or is ashamed of his success
banks inches outer reports
We had reports of 8 to 10 inches on the Outer Banks and 4 to 6 inches in coastal counties,
blessing confidence source
There's one blessing only, the source and cornerstone of beatitude -- confidence in self.
forgive forgiveness inhuman none
To forgive all is as inhuman as to forgive none
amuse anxious dependence duties either enjoy god happiness hopes ourselves rest satisfied sufficient toward true understand
True happiness is to understand our duties toward God and man; to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence on the future; not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears, but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is abundantly sufficient
advice life terrify worth
If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living.
burial letters living love retirement
Retirement without the love of letters is a living burial
choice necessity shall willing
What must be shall be; and that which is a necessity to him that struggles, is little more than choice to him that is willing
acting complain days either lives ought procrastination spent though
We all sorely complain of the shortness of time, and yet have much more than we know what to do with. Our lives are either spent in doing nothing at all, or in doing nothing to the purpose, or in doing nothing that we ought to do. We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end of them.
learn learning life
We learn not in the school, but in life
bitter calm cannot comfort mind
Nothing is so bitter that a calm mind cannot find comfort in it.