The sun’s last finger let go of the pine up there. The sun fell behind the hills. A few drops of blood splashed the sky. Night washed them out with her grey hand.

Creation seemed to come about in a sort of chain reaction. He did not worry about it; he was determinedly pursuing his task in all its simplicity; but as we went back towards the village I saw water flowing in Brooks that had been dry since the memory of man. This was the most impressive result of chain reaction that I had seen. These dry streams had once, long ago, run with water.

For a human character to reveal truly exceptional qualities, one must have the good fortune to be able to observe its performance over many years. If this performance is devoid of all egoism, if its guiding motive is unparalleled generosity, if it is absolutely certain that there is no thought of recompense and that, in addition, it has left its visible mark upon the earth, then there can be no mistake.

The Italians are said to be noisy and to gesticulate, but that is a libel dreamed up by the English.

Boredom is the most horrible of wolves.

From the time we began to build houses and cities, since we invented the wheel, we have not advanced one step toward happiness. We have always been in halves. As long as we invent and progress in mechanical things and not in love, we shall not achieve happiness.

Spring sprang suddenly onto the land.

There are also times in life when a person has to rush off in pursuit of hopefulness.

Remember, all of man’s happiness is in the little valleys. Tiny little ones. Small enough to call from one side to the other.

Days begin and end in the dead of night. They are not shaped long, in the manner of things which lead to ends – arrow, road, man’s life on earth. They are shaped round, in the manner of things eternal and stable – sun, world, God.