All of us encounter, at least once in our life, some individual who utters words that make us think forever. There are men whose phrases are oracles; who condense in one sentence the secrets of life; who blurt out an aphorism that forms a character or illustrates an existence.

Great men should think of opportunity and not of time. That is the excuse of feeble and puzzled spirits.

He thinks posterity is a pack-horse, always ready to be loaded.

He was one of these men who think that the world can be saved by writing a pamphlet.

That earliest shock in one's life which occurs to all of us; which first makes us think.

You know, all is development. The principle is perpetually going on. First, there was nothing, then there was something; then-I forget the next-I think there were shells, then fishes; then we came-let me see-did we come next? Never mind that; we came at last. And at the next change there will be something very superior to us-something with wings. Ah! That's it: we were fishes, and I believe we shall be crows.