Nineteen
Whatever the vagaries of human nature, the true philosopher is never surprised by them. And one vagary is not more strange than another.
Twenty
You can control nothing but your own mind. Even your two-year-old babe may defy you by the instinctive force of its personality.
Twenty-one
To take the common grey things which people know and despise, and, without tampering, to disclose their epic significance, their essential grandeur—that is realism as distinguished from idealism or romanticism. It may scarcely be, it probably is not, the greatest art of all; but it is art precious and indisputable.
Twenty-two
There are few mental exercises better than learning great poetry or prose by heart.
Twenty-three
The British public will never be convinced by argument. But two drops of perspiration on the cheeks of a nice-looking girl with a torn skirt and a crushed hat will make it tremble for the safety of its ideals, and twenty drops will persuade it to sign anything for the restoration of decency. You surely don’t suppose that argument will be of any use!