Bovee Quotes & Sayings

Loss of sincerity is loss of vital power. — Christian Nestell Bovee

If it is a distinction to have written a good book, it is also a disgrace to have written a bad one. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Pure motives do not insure perfect results. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Hope is the best part of our riches. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Something of a person's character may be observed by how they smile. Some never smile they only grin. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Cheerfulness is an offshoot of goodness and of wisdom. — Christian Nestell Bovee

It is with a company as it is with a punch, everything depends upon the ingredients of which it in composed. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Winter is the night of vegetation. — Christian Nestell Bovee

It is invidious to distinguish particular men as adventurers: we are all such. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The busiest of living agents are certain dead men's thoughts. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Like the withered roses of a once gay garland, the feelings of youth command in age a melancholy interest. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Hunting is a relic of the barbarism that once thirsted for human blood, but is now content with the blood of animals. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Excessive sensibility is only another name for morbid self-consciousness. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Dignity of position adds to dignity of character, as well as to dignity of carriage. Give us a proud position, and we are impelled to act up to it. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Logic invents as many fallacies as it detects; it is a good weapon, but as liable to be used in a bad as in a good cause. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Example has far more followers than reason. — Christian Nestell Bovee

There is probably no hell for authors in the next world
they suffer so much from critics and publishers in this one. — C.N. Bovee

The passions are like fire, useful in a thousand ways and dangerous only in one, through their excess. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Words of praise, indeed, are almost as necessary to warm a child into a genial life as acts of kindness and affection. Judicious praise is to children what the sun is to flowers. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Contentment is not happiness. An oyster may be contented. Happiness is compounded of richer elements. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Out of politics comes more uproar than progress. It is indeed surprising how little, comparatively, this noisy department of human affairs contributes to the world's prosperity. Political commotions upon the grandest scale, political events of astounding suddenness, political characters of the greatest ability, abound, but still, permanent results are rare, and we look in vain for a measure of public good corresponding in extent to the hideous rout which ushers it in. Progress but turns upon its pillow, and goes to sleep again. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Music is the fourth great material want, first food, then clothes, then shelter, then music. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The finest compliment that can be paid to a woman of sense is to address her as such. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Hard workers are usually honest; industry lifts them above temptation. — Christian Nestell Bovee

We make way for the man who boldly pushes past us. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The beauty of a woman transcends all other forms of beauty, as well in the sweetness of its suggestions, as in the fervor of the admiration it awakens. The beauty of a lovely woman is an inspiration, a sweet delirium, a gentle madness. Her looks are love-potions. Heaven itself is never so clearly revealed to us as in the face of a beautiful woman. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Qualities not regulated run into their opposites. Economy before competence is meanness after it. Therefore economy is for the poor; the rich may dispense with it. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Sensitiveness is closely allied to egotism; and excessive sensibility is only another name for morbid self-consciousness. The cure for tender sensibilities is to make more of our objects and less of our selves. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Example has more followers than reason. We unconsciously imitate what pleases us, and approximate to the characters we most admire. — Christian Nestell Bovee

He that shrinks from the grave with too great a dread, has an invisible fear behind him pushing him into it. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The loss of a beloved connection awakens an interest in Heaven before unfelt. — Christian Nestell Bovee

A woman's love, like lichens upon a rock, will still grow where even charity can find no soil to nurture itself. — Christian Nestell Bovee

I once asked a distinguished artist what place he gave to labor in art. "Labor," he in effect said, "is the beginning, the middle, and the end of art." Turning then to another
"And you," I inquired, "what do you consider as the great force in art?" "Love," he replied. In their two answers I found but one truth. — Christian Nestell Bovee

We should round every day of stirring action with an evening of thought. We learn nothing of our experience except we muse upon it. — Christian Nestell Bovee

We absolve a friend from gratitude when we remind him of a favor. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Luminous quotations, also, atone, by their interest, for the dulness of an inferior book, and add to the value of a superior work by the variety which they lend to its style and treatment. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The next best thing to being witty one's self, is to be able to be able to quote another's wit. — Christian Nestell Bovee

It is in vain that he seeks dominion abroad, who is not kingly at home. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Talk less about the years to come,
Live, love labor more today. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Dishonest people conceal their faults from themselves as well as others, honest people know and confess them. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Adhesion to one idea is monomania; to few, slavery. — Christian Nestell Bovee

We fear things in proportion to our ignorance of them. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Constant companionship is not enjoyable, any more than constant eating. We sit too long at the table of friendship, when we outsit our appetites for each other's thoughts. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Can that which is the greatest virtue in philosophy, doubt (called by Galileo the father of invention), be in religion what the priests term it, the greatest of sins? — Christian Nestell Bovee

Ideas are like matter, infinitely divisible. It is not given to us to get down so to speak to their final atoms, but to their molecular groupings-the way is never ending and the progress infinitely delightful and profitable ... — Christian Nestell Bovee

It is not the number of facts he knows, but how much of a fact he is himself, that proves the man. — Christian Nestell Bovee

There is a German proverb which says that Take-it-Easy and Live-Long are brothers. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Merit is never so conspicuous as when coupled with an obscure origin, just as the moon never appears so lustrous as when it emerges from a cloud. — Christian Nestell Bovee

When all is lost, the future still remains. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The legitimate aim of criticism is to direct attention to the excellent. The bad will dig its own grave, and the imperfect may safely be left to that final neglect from which no amount of present undeserved popularity can rescue it. — Christian Nestell Bovee

False friends are like our shadow, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine, but leaving us the instant we cross into the shade. — C.N. Bovee

All power is indeed weak compared with that of the thinker. He sits upon the throne of his Empire of Thought, mightier far than they who wield material sceptres. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Melancholy sees the worst of things ... [rather than the best] — Christian Nestell Bovee

Character is very much a matter of health. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The worst deluded are the self-deluded. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Elements of the heroic exist in almost every individual: it is only the felicitous development of them all in one that is rare. — Christian Nestell Bovee

In a contest with a weaker party it is more honorable to yield than to force concession. Magnanimity becomes the strong. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The lively and mercurial are as open books, with the leaves turned down at the notable passages. Their souls sit at the windows of their eyes, seeing and to be seen. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Silence, when nothing need be said, is the eloquence of discretion. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Perhaps the heroic element in our natures is exhibited to the best advantage, not in going from success to success, and so on through a series of triumphs, but in gathering, on the very field of defeat itself, the materials for renewed efforts, and in proceeding, with no abatement of heart or energy, to form fresh designs upon the very ruins and ashes of blasted hopes. Yes, it is this indomitable persistence in a purpose, continued alike through defeat and success, that makes, more than aught else, the hero. — Christian Nestell Bovee

In the assurance of strength there is strength; and they are the weakest, however strong, who have no faith in themselves or their powers. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The heart contracts as the pocket expands. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Nothing is so fragile as thought in its infancy; an interruption breaks it: nothing is so powerful, even to overturning empires, when it reaches its maturity. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The activity of the young is like that of railcars in motion
they tear along with noise and turmoil, and leave peace behind them. The quietest nooks, invaded by them, lose their quietude as they pass, and recover it only on their departure. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The Breath becomes a stone; the stone, a plant; the plant, an animal; the animal, a man; the man, a spirit; and the spirit, a god. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The language denotes the man. A coarse or refined character finds its expression naturally in a coarse or refined phraseology. — Christian Nestell Bovee

However much of time, labor, or other means it takes to establish a reputation, it frequently happens that it requires nearly as much to maintain it. One who has written a good book, is expected on all occasions to "talk like a book." Or, if one has achieved an act of heroism, he is expected to perform acts of heroism for the edification of all who approach him. There are people who can never believe they see a lion unless they hear him roar. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The cause of laziness is physiological; it is an infirmity of the constitution, and its victim is as much to be pitied as a sufferer from any other constitutional infirmity. It is even worse than many other diseases; from them the patient may recover, while this is incurable. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Tearless grief bleeds inwardly — Christian Nestell Bovee

By his provocations to good-natured merriment, a humorist of the first water contributes as much to the sum of happiness as the gravest philosopher. — Christian Nestell Bovee

To cultivate a garden is ... to go hand in hand with Nature in some of her most beautiful processes ... — Christian Nestell Bovee

He must put his whole life into his work, who would do it well, and make it potential to influence other lives. — Christian Nestell Bovee

It is our relation to circumstances that determines their influence upon us. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The greatest events of an age are its best thoughts. Thought finds its way into action. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Every trait of beauty may be referred to some virtue, as to innocence, candor, generosity, modesty, or heroism. St. Pierre To cultivate the sense of the beautiful, is one of the most effectual ways of cultivating an appreciation of the divine goodness. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Fortune, like a coy mistress, loves to yield her favors, though she makes us wrest them from her. — Christian Nestell Bovee

We trifle when we assign limits to our desires, since nature hath set none. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Youth is the season of receptivity, and should be devoted to acquirement; and manhood of power
that demands an earnest application. Old age is for revision. — Christian Nestell Bovee

There are none so low but they have their triumphs. Small successes suffice for small souls. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Passion doesn't look beyond the moment of its existence. — Christian Nestell Bovee

In one important respect a man is fortunate in being poor. His responsibility to God is so much the less — Christian Nestell Bovee

Kindness is a language the dumb can speak and the deaf can hear and understand. — C.N. Bovee

Words, like cannon balls, should go direct to their mark. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Besides the five senses, there is a sixth sense, of equal importance
the sense of duty. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The small courtesies sweeten life; the greater ennoble it. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Better freedom with a crust, than slavery with every luxury. — Christian Nestell Bovee

When we get tired of enjoying all the pleasures within our reach, we have still a resource in thinking of others that are not. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Many an honest man practices upon himself an amount of deceit sufficient, if practised upon another, and in a little different way, to send him to the state prison. — Christian Nestell Bovee

A genuine passion is like a mountain stream; it admits of no impediment; it cannot go backward; it must go forward. — Christian Nestell Bovee

God, we are told, looked upon the world after he had created it and pronounced it good; but ascetic pietists, in their wisdom, cast their eyes over it, and substantially pronounce it a dead failure, a miserable production, a poor concern. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The extent of poverty in the world is much exaggerated. Our sensitiveness makes half our poverty; our fears
anxieties for ills that never happen
a greater part of the other half. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Books are embalmed minds. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Rejecting the miracles of Christ, we still have the miracle of Christ Himself. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Nature has provided for the exigency of privation, by putting the measure of our necessities far below the measure of our wants. Our necessities are to our wants as Falstaff's pennyworth of bread to his any quantity of sack. — Christian Nestell Bovee

There are seaons when our passions have slept so long that we know not whether they still exist in us. So does flax forget that it is combustible when the fire is away from it. — Christian Nestell Bovee

No work deserves to be criticized that has not much in it that deserves to be applauded. — Christian Nestell Bovee

The use we make of our fortune determines its sufficiency. A little is enough if used wisely, and too much if expended foolishly. — Christian Nestell Bovee

Men were created for something better than merely to make money. A close application to business, until a competence is gained, is one of the chief virtues; but to continue in trade long after this result is obtained, is one of the signs, not to be mistaken, of a sordid and ignoble nature. — Christian Nestell Bovee

There is nothing," says a correspondent of the New York Times, "which the business world discards as unpractical and useless so much as the quiet, thinking scholar. But this is the man who makes revolutions. Politicians are mere puppets in the hands of men of thought. — Christian Nestell Bovee

I desire to go through life knowing as little of evil in it as possible. To this end, I sometimes avoid looking too closely into the nature of things, studying them only so far as they seem to be good, and abandoning interest in them as soon as their darker feature begin to appear. The good only deserves a hearty interest. — Christian Nestell Bovee