Quotes By John Henry Newman

From the age of fifteen, dogma has been the fundamental principle of my religion: I know no other religion; I cannot enter into the idea of any other sort of religion; religion, as a mere sentiment, is to me a dream and a mockery.

A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault.

A great memory does not make a mind, any more than a dictionary is a piece of literature.

Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.

We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe.

Nothing is more common than for men to think that because they are familiar with words they understand the ideas they stand for.

Men will die upon dogma but will not fall victim to a conclusion.

We must make up our minds to be ignorant of much, if we would know anything.

Evil has no substance of its own, but is only the defect, excess, perversion, or corruption of that which has substance.

A great memory is never made synonymous with wisdom, any more than a dictionary would be called a treatise.

There is such a thing as legitimate warfare: war has its laws; there are things which may fairly be done, and things which may not be done.

Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather that it shall ever have a beginning.

Growth is the only evidence of life.

Let us take things as we find them: let us not attempt to distort them into what they are not... We cannot make facts. All our wishing cannot change them. We must use them.

Virtue is its own reward, and brings with it the truest and highest pleasure; but if we cultivate it only for pleasure's sake, we are selfish, not religious, and will never gain the pleasure, because we can never have the virtue.

It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain.

If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable... we must be content to creep along the ground, and never soar.

It is very difficult to get up resentment towards persons whom one has never seen.

It is as absurd to argue men, as to torture them, into believing.

Calculation never made a hero.

The love of our private friends is the only preparatory exercise for the love of all men.

To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.

Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it.

It is almost the definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain.

It is often said that second thoughts are best. So they are in matters of judgment but not in matters of conscience.

Ability is sexless.

Let us act on what we have, since we have not what we wish.

To holy people the very name of Jesus is a name to feed upon, a name to transport. His name can raise the dead and transfigure and beautify the living.

If we are intended for great ends, we are called to great hazards.

In this world no one rules by love; if you are but amiable, you are no hero; to be powerful, you must be strong, and to have dominion you must have a genius for organizing.