Sonnet 29

When in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,

Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least.

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

   For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings

   That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

- William Shakespeare, Sonnet 29

The circumference of freedom

While I would not shrink the circumference of freedom, the size of that circle is not the sole measure of social well-being.

- Neal A. Maxwell

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien...

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As, to be hated, needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.

- Alexander Pope

The end of all study

"You will ever remember that all the end of study is to make you a good man and a useful citizen."

- John Adams, to his son John Quincy

Chariots of fire

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

- 2 Kings 6:15-17

I sometimes, in my sprightly moments

"I sometimes, in my sprightly moments, consider myself, in my great chair at school, as some dictator at the head of a commonwealth.  In this little state I can discover all the great geniuses, all the surprising actions and revolutions of the great world in miniature.  I have several renowned generals but three feet high, and several deep-projecting politicians in petticoats.  I have others catching and dissecting flies, accumulating remarkable pebbles, cockleshells, etc., with as ardent curiosity as any virtuoso in the Royal Society.... At one table sits Mr. Insipid foppling and fluttering, spinning his whirligig, or playing with his fingers as gaily and wittily as any Frenchified coxcomb brandishes his cane and rattles his snuff box.  At another sits the polemical divine, plodding and wrangling in his mind about Adam's fall in which we sinned, all as his primer has it."

- John Adams, during his days as a young schoolmaster

Even with its flaws, the family is basic

"Even with its flaws, the family is basic, and since no other institution can compensate fully for failure in the family, why then, instead of enhancing the family, the desperate search for substitutes? Why not require family impact studies before proceeding with this program or that remedy, since of all environmental concerns the family should be first? Hundreds of governmental departments and programs protect various interests, but which one protects the family?"

- Neal A. Maxwell

Our birth is but a sleep

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting; 
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,
          Hath had elsewhere its setting
               And cometh from afar;
          Not in entire forgetfulness,
          And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come 
               From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy! 

- William Wordsworth

I am wise enough to know...

"I am wise enough to know that there are some perils from which a man must flee."

- Faramir, in The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

There are some things that it is better to begin...

"The counsel of Gandalf was not founded on foreknowledge of safety, for himself or for others.  There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark...."

- Aragorn, in The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Seeing is both good and perilous.

"Seeing is both good and perilous."

- Galadriel, in The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

How shall a man judge what to do...

Eomer: ‘...How shall a man judge what to do in such times?’
‘As he ever has judged,’ said Aragorn. ‘Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man’s part to discern them, as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house.’

- in The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

It’s the job that’s never started...

It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.

Despair or folly?

"Despair or folly?  It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt.  We do not.  It is wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope.  Well, let folly be our cloak, a veil before the eyes of the Enemy!  For he is very wise, and weighs all things to a nicety in the scales of his malice.  But the only measure that he knows is desire, the desire for power; and so he judges all hearts."

- Gandalf, in The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

The road must be trod...

"The road must be trod, but it will be very hard.  And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it.  This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong.  Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere."

- Elrond, in The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

To be good, and to do good...

"To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do."

- John Adams

Upon common theaters

"Upon common theaters, indeed the applause of the audience is of more importance to the actors than their own approbation.  But upon the stage of life, while conscience claps, let the world hiss!  On the contrary if conscience disapproves, the loudest applauses of the world are of little value."

- John Adams

Daughter! Get you an honest man for a husband...

"Daughter!  Get you an honest man for a husband, and keep him honest.  No matter whether he is rich, provided he be independent.  Regard he honor and moral character of the man more than all other circumstances.  Think of no other greatness but that of the soul, no other riches but those of the heart.  An honest, sensible, humane man, above all the littleness of vanity and extravagances of imagination, laboring to do good rather than be rich, to be useful rather than make a show, living in modest simplicity clearly within his means and free from debts and obligations, is really the most respectable mean in society, makes himself and all about him most happy."

-John Adams, in a letter to his daughter Nabby.

I must study politics and war...

"I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.  My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study paintings, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain."

- John Adams

These are the times that try men's souls...

These are the times that try men's souls.  The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country.

- Thomas Paine

Our obligations to our country...

"Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives."

- John Adams

Popularity was never my mistress

"Popularity was never my mistress, nor was I ever, or shall I ever be a popular man.  But one thing I know, a man must be sensible of the errors of the people, and upon his guard against them, and must run the risk of their displeasure sometimes, or he will never do them any good in the long run."

- John Adams

The preservation of liberty

"The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral character of the people.  As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused generally among the body of a nation, it is impossible they should be enslaved."

- John Adams, 1772

Happy Independence Day!

"The object is great which we have in view, and we must expect a great expense of blood to obtain it.  But we should always remember that a free constitution of civil government cannot be purchased at too dear a rate, as there is nothing on this side of Jerusalem of equal importance to mankind."

- John Adams, July 1, 1776

Introduction

In a college literature class, I was introduced to the idea of a commonplace book.  Essentially, a commonplace book is one's personal collection of quotes, ideas, and literary excerpts.  It is compiled over an extended period of time in the course of one's reading, listening, correspondence, and observation, and it is organized by topic.  It is used for reflection and analysis, for making connections between ideas, and as a source for one's own writing.  Commonplace books were used by the likes of John Locke, Francis Bacon, and John Milton, and for centuries they have been indispensable tools for scholars.  

I'm no great scholar, but I realized a while ago that if I want my reading to come to any use other than transient enjoyment, I need a way to record the thoughts and passages that stand out to me as important, beautiful, and true.  In short, I need a commonplace book.

There are countless great ideas, memorably phrased, which elevate the mind, ennoble the heart, and inspire the spirit when they are read.  There are many truths which are self-evident if honestly considered.  There is poetry and prose that is achingly beautiful and that nourishes the soul.  The trouble is, most of this material is sitting on the closed pages of books.  My hope with this blog is that by sharing the contents of my commonplace book, I can share these uplifting ideas and get other people thinking about them.  I'm not going to pretend that I'm more scholarly or well-read than anybody else, but I believe that the little I have to share can make a difference.  

So without further ado, here's the plan for this blog.  Every day I'll post a quote or passage from my commonplace book.  I'm not going to give preference to certain types of sources - some quotes might be from great literature and important people, while others may be from novels, blogs, or conversations I've had with friends.  The only criterion for inclusion is that the quote or thought is worth thinking about.  

I have my own thoughts and opinions on most of these quotes, but in order to let them speak for themselves, I'll place my own thoughts, if any, in comments rather than in the blog posts themselves.  I welcome the comments and thoughts of anyone who reads this.  I hope we can have some good discussions.  Most of all, I hope these words will have as positive an impact on you as they've had on me.

Best wishes,

Dan