All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason. May you live your life as if the maxim of your actions were to become universal law. In law a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so. Experience without theory is blind, but theory without experience is mere intellectual play. Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. So act that your principle of action might safely be made a law for the whole world. The history of the human race, viewed as a whole may be regarded as the realization of a hidden plan of nature to bring about a political constitution, internally, and for this purpose, also externally perfect, as the only state in which all the capacities implanted by her in mankind can be fully developed. It is not necessary that whilst I live I live happily; but it is necessary that so long as I live I should live honourably. Have patience awhile; slanders are not long-lived. Truth is the child of time; erelong she shall appear to vindicate thee. If man makes himself a worm he must not complain when he is trodden on. |