The true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not, and never persist in trying to set people right.
Henry Ward BeecherRead
There is a temperate zone in the mind, between luxurious indolence and exacting work; and it is to this region, just between laziness and labor, that summer reading belongs.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote refers to the ideal balance between relaxation and productivity in the mind, particularly in the context of reading.
Henry Ward Beecher suggests that there exists a mental space that strikes a balance between extreme laziness and overwork, where summer reading fits. This 'temperate zone' represents a state of mind that allows for enjoyment and learning without the stress of rigorous study or the lethargy of doing nothing, highlighting the value of leisurely reading as a form of enrichment.
Themes
ReadingBalanceEducationMindLeisure
In practice
Example use cases
During a summer book club discussion, I shared this quote to emphasize the importance of enjoying reading.
More from Henry Ward Beecher
All quotes βA man who cannot get angry is like a stream that cannot overflow, that is always turbid. Sometimes indignation is as good as a thunderstorm in summer, clearing and cooling the air.
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No one can deal with the hearts of men unless he has the sympathy which is given by love.
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We are always on the anvil; by trials God is shaping us for higher things.
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No man can tell if he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has.
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There are joys which long to be ours. God sends ten thousands truths, which come about us like birds seeking inlet; but we are shut up to them, and so they bring us nothing, but sit and sing awhile upon the roof, and then fly away.
Henry Ward BeecherRead
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