Put Beauty Into Your Life

When the barbarians overran Greece, desecrated her temples, and destroyed her beautiful works of art, even their savageness was somewhat tamed by the sense of beauty which prevailed everywhere. They broke her beautiful statues, it is true; but the spirit of beauty refused to die, and it transformed the savage heart and awakened even in the barbarian a new power. From the apparent death of Grecian art Roman art was born. "Cyclops forging iron for Vulcan could not stand against Pericles forging thought for Greece." The barbarian's club which destroyed the Grecian statues was no match for the chisel of Phidias and Praxiteles.

When the barbarians overran Greece, they desecrated her temples and destroyed her beautiful works of art. Yet even their savagery was somewhat softened by the sense of beauty that prevailed everywhere. They did break her beautiful statues, but the spirit of beauty refused to die. It transformed the savage heart and awakened a new power even in the barbarian. From the apparent death of Greek art, Roman art was born. "Cyclops forging iron for Vulcan could not stand against Pericles forging thought for Greece." The barbarian's club that destroyed the Greek statues was no match for the chisel of Phidias and Praxiteles.

"What is the best education?" some one asked Plato many centuries ago. "It is," he replied, "that which gives to the body and to the soul all the beauty and all the perfection of which they are capable."

"What is the best education?" someone asked Plato many centuries ago. He replied, "It is the education that gives the body and soul all the beauty and perfection they are capable of."

The life that would be complete; that would be sweet and sane, as well as strong, must be ornamented, softened, and enriched by a love of the beautiful.

A complete life, one that is gentle and balanced as well as strong, must be adorned, softened, and enriched by a love of beauty.

There is a lack in the make-up of a person who has no appreciation of beauty, who does not thrill before a great picture or an entrancing sunset, or a glimpse of beauty in nature.

Something is missing in a person who cannot appreciate beauty or feel moved by a great painting, a captivating sunset, or a glimpse of beauty in nature.

Savages have no appreciation of beauty. They have a passion for adornment, but there is nothing to show that their esthetic faculties are developed. They merely obey their animal instincts and passions.

Savages have no appreciation of beauty. They love to decorate themselves, but nothing shows that they have developed a sense of beauty. They simply follow their animal instincts and passions.

But as civilization advances ambition grows, wants multiply, and higher and higher faculties show themselves, until in the highest expression of civilization, we find aspiration and love of the beautiful most highly developed. We find it manifested on the person, in the home, in the environment.

But as civilization advances, ambition grows, desires multiply, and more advanced abilities emerge. In the highest expression of civilization, aspiration and love of beauty are most highly developed. We see them expressed in personal appearance, in the home, and in the surroundings.

The late Professor Charles Eliot Norton of Harvard University, one of the finest thinkers of his day, said that beauty has played an immense part in the development of the highest qualities in human beings; and that civilization could be measured by its architecture, sculpture, and painting.

The late Professor Charles Eliot Norton of Harvard University was one of the finest thinkers of his day. He said beauty has played an immense part in developing the highest human qualities. He also said a civilization could be measured by its architecture, sculpture, and painting.

What an infinite satisfaction comes from beginning early in life to cultivate our finer qualities, to develop finer sentiments, purer tastes, more delicate feelings, the love of the beautiful in all its varied forms of expression!

What endless satisfaction comes from beginning early in life to cultivate our best qualities! We can develop finer feelings, purer tastes, greater sensitivity, and a love of beauty in all its forms.

One can make no better investment than the cultivation of a taste for the beautiful, for it will bring rainbow hues and enduring joys to the whole life. It will not only greatly increase one's capacity for happiness, but also one's efficiency.

There is no better investment than developing a taste for beauty. It will bring rainbow colors and lasting joy to your whole life. It will greatly increase not only your capacity for happiness but also your efficiency.

A remarkable instance of the elevating, refining influence of beauty has been demonstrated by a Chicago school-teacher, who fitted up in her school a "beauty corner" for her pupils. It was furnished with a stained glass window, a divan covered with an Oriental rug, and a few fine photographs and paintings, among which was a picture of the Sistine Madonna. Several other esthetic trifles, artistically arranged, completed the furnishings of the "beauty corner." The children took great delight in their little retreat, especially in the exquisite coloring of the stained glass window. Insensibly their conduct and demeanor were affected by the beautiful objects with which they daily associated. They became more gentle, more refined, more thoughtful and considerate. A young Italian boy, in particular, who had been incorrigible before the establishment of the "beauty corner," became, in a short time, so changed and softened that the teacher was astonished. One day she asked him what it was that made him so good lately. Pointing to the picture of the Sistine Madonna the boy said, "How can a feller do bad things when she's looking at him?"

A Chicago schoolteacher demonstrated a remarkable example of beauty's uplifting and refining influence. She set up a "beauty corner" for her pupils at school. It had a stained glass window, a couch covered with an Oriental rug, and a few fine photographs and paintings. Among them was a picture of the Sistine Madonna. Several other small decorative objects, artistically arranged, completed the "beauty corner." The children took great delight in their little retreat, especially in the beautiful colors of the stained glass window. Without realizing it, they were influenced by the beautiful objects they saw every day. They became gentler, more refined, more thoughtful, and more considerate. One young Italian boy had been impossible to manage before the "beauty corner" was set up. In a short time, he changed and softened so much that the teacher was astonished. One day she asked him what had made him so good lately. Pointing to the picture of the Sistine Madonna, the boy said, "How can a fellow do bad things when she's looking at him?"

Character is fed largely through the eye and ear. The thousand voices in nature of bird and insect and brook, the soughing of the wind through the trees, the scent of flower and meadow, the myriad tints in earth and sky, in ocean and forest, mountain and hill, are just as important for the development of a real man as the education he receives in the schools. If you take no beauty into your life through the eye or the ear to stimulate and develop your esthetic faculties, your nature will be hard, juiceless, and unattractive.

Character is shaped largely by what we see and hear. Nature has a thousand voices: birds, insects, streams, and wind rustling through trees. There are also the scents of flowers and meadows and countless colors in the earth and sky, ocean and forest, mountain and hill. All these are just as important to the development of a real man as his education in school. If you take in no beauty through your eyes or ears to stimulate and develop your sense of beauty, your nature will be hard, lifeless, and unattractive.

Beauty is a quality of divinity, and to live much with the beautiful is to live close to the divine. "The more we see of beauty everywhere; in nature, in life, in man and child, in work and rest, in the outward and the inward world, the more we see of God (good)."

Beauty is a divine quality. To spend much time with beauty is to live close to the divine. "The more beauty we see everywhere, the more we see of God (good). We see it in nature and life, in men and children, in work and rest, and in the outer and inner world."

There are many evidences in the New Testament that Christ was a great lover of the beautiful especially in nature. Was it not He who said: "Consider the lilies of the field; they toil not, neither do they spin; yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these"?

The New Testament offers much evidence that Christ deeply loved beauty, especially in nature. Wasn't he the one who said: "Consider the lilies of the field. They do not work or spin. Yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as one of them"?

Back of the lily and the rose, back of the landscape, back of all beautiful things that enchant us, there must be a great lover of the beautiful and a great beauty-principle. Every star that twinkles in the sky, every flower, bids us look behind it for its source, points us to the great Author of the beautiful.

Behind the lily and the rose, behind the landscape, and behind all the beautiful things that enchant us, there must be a great lover of beauty and a great principle of beauty. Every star that twinkles in the sky and every flower invites us to look beyond it for its source. Each points us to the great Author of beauty.

The love of beauty plays a very important part in the poised, symmetrical life. We little realize how much we are influenced by beautiful people and things. We may see them so often that they become common in our experience and fail to attract much of our conscious attention, but every beautiful picture, every sunset and bit of landscape, every beautiful face and form and flower, beauty in any form, wherever we encounter it, ennobles, refines and elevates character.

A love of beauty is an important part of a balanced, well-rounded life. We rarely realize how much beautiful people and things influence us. We may see them so often that they become familiar and no longer draw much conscious attention. But every beautiful picture, sunset, landscape, face, form, and flower ennobles, refines, and elevates our character. Beauty in any form has this effect, wherever we encounter it.

There is everything in keeping the soul and mind responsive to beauty. It is a great refreshener, recuperator, life-giver, health promoter.

Keeping the soul and mind open to beauty makes all the difference. Beauty refreshes, restores, gives life, and promotes health.

Our American life tends to kill the finer sentiments; to discourage the development of charm and grace as well as beauty; it over-emphasizes the value of material things and under-estimates that of esthetic things, which are far more developed in countries where the dollar is not the God.

American life tends to kill our finer feelings and discourage the development of charm, grace, and beauty. It places too much value on material things and too little on aesthetic things. These are far more developed in countries where the dollar is not God.

As long as we persist in sending all the sap and energy of our being into the money-making gland or faculty and letting the social faculty, the esthetic faculty, and all the finer, nobler faculties lie dormant, and even die, we certainly can not expect a well-rounded and symmetrical life, for only faculties that are used, brain cells that are exercised, grow; all others atrophy. If the finer instincts in man and the nobler qualities that live in the higher brain are under-developed, and the coarser instincts which dwell in the lower brain close to the brute faculties are over-developed, man must pay the penalty of animality and will lack appreciation of all that is finest and most beautiful in life.

As long as we put all our energy into making money, we cannot expect a balanced, well-rounded life. We leave our social, artistic, and all our finer, nobler abilities unused, and they may even die. Only the abilities we use and the brain cells we exercise grow. All the others weaken. If a person's finer instincts and nobler qualities in the higher brain are underdeveloped, there is a cost. If the coarser instincts in the lower brain, close to the animal faculties, are overdeveloped, there is a cost as well. That person must pay the price of living like an animal and will not appreciate all that is finest and most beautiful in life.

"The vision that you hold in your mind, the ideal that is enthroned in your heart—this you will build your life by, this you will become." It is the quality of mind, of ideals, and not mere things, that make a man.

"The vision you hold in your mind and the ideal you hold in your heart will guide your life. You will become what you envision and cherish." A man is shaped by the quality of his mind and ideals, not by mere possessions.

It is as essential to cultivate the esthetic faculties and the heart qualities as to cultivate what we call the intellect. The time will come when our children will be taught, both at home and in school, to consider beauty as a most precious gift, which must be preserved in purity, sweetness, and cleanliness, and regarded as a divine instrument of education.

It is just as important to develop our appreciation of beauty and our qualities of heart as our intellect. The time will come when children are taught at home and at school to see beauty as a precious gift. They will learn that beauty must be kept pure, sweet, and clean, and seen as a divine tool for education.

There is no investment which will give such returns as the culture of the finer self, the development of the sense of the beautiful, the sublime, and the true; the development of qualities that are crushed out or strangled in the mere dollar-chaser.

No investment pays off as richly as cultivating your finer self and developing an appreciation for beauty, grandeur, and truth. These qualities are crushed or stifled in someone who cares only about making money.

There are a thousand evidences in us that we were intended for temples of beauty, of sweetness, of loveliness, of beautiful ideas, and not mere storehouses for vulgar things.

A thousand things within us show that we were meant to be temples of beauty, sweetness, loveliness, and beautiful ideas, not just storehouses for vulgar things.

There is nothing which will pay so well as to train the finest and truest, the most beautiful qualities in us in order that we may see beauty everywhere and be able to extract sweetness from everything.

Nothing pays off more than developing our finest, truest, and most beautiful qualities. They help us see beauty everywhere and find sweetness in everything.

Everywhere we go there are a thousand things to educate the best there is in us. Every sunset, landscape, mountain, hill, and tree has secrets of charm and beauty waiting for us. In every patch of meadow or wheat, in every leaf and flower, the trained eye will see beauty which would ravish an angel. The cultured ear will find harmony in forest and field, melody in the babbling brook, and untold pleasure in all Nature's songs.

Everywhere we go, countless things can bring out the best in us. Every sunset, landscape, mountain, hill, and tree holds secrets of charm and beauty waiting for us. In every patch of meadow or wheat, and in every leaf and flower, a trained eye can see beauty that would delight an angel. A trained ear can hear harmony in forests and fields and melody in a babbling brook. It can find endless pleasure in all of nature’s songs.

Whatever our vocation, we should resolve that we will not strangle all that is finest and noblest in us for the sake of the dollar, but that we will put beauty into our life at every opportunity.

Whatever our work, we should resolve not to sacrifice all that is finest and noblest in us for money. Instead, we should put beauty into our lives at every opportunity.

Just in proportion to your love for the beautiful will you acquire its charms and develop its graces. The beauty thought, the beauty ideal, will outpicture themselves in the face and manner. If you are in love with beauty you will be an artist of some kind. Your profession may be to make the home beautiful and sweet, or you may work at a trade; but whatever your vocation, if you are in love with the beautiful, it will purify your taste, elevate and enrich your life, and make you an artist instead of a mere artisan.

The more you love beauty, the more you will acquire its charm and grace. Your thoughts and ideals of beauty will show in your face and manner. If you love beauty, you will be an artist of some kind. Your work may be to make a home beautiful and pleasant, or you may work at a trade. But whatever your work, if you love beauty, it will purify your taste and elevate and enrich your life. It will make you an artist instead of a mere craftsperson.

There is no doubt that in the future beauty will play an infinitely greater part in civilized life than it has thus far. It is becoming commercialized everywhere. The trouble with us is that the tremendous material-prizes in this land of opportunity are so tempting that we have lost sight of the higher man. We have developed ourselves along the animal side of our nature; the greedy, grasping side. The great majority of us are still living in the basement of our beings. Now and then one rises to the drawing-room. Now and then one ascends to the upper stories and gets a glimpse of the life beautiful, the life worth while.

There is no doubt that beauty will play an infinitely greater role in civilized life in the future than it has so far. Beauty is becoming commercialized everywhere. The trouble is that the enormous material rewards in this land of opportunity are so tempting that we have lost sight of our higher nature. We have developed the animal side of our nature, the greedy, grasping side. Most of us are still living in the basement of our beings. Now and then, someone rises to the living room. Now and then, someone climbs to the upper floors and glimpses the beautiful life, the life worth living.

There is nothing on earth that will so slake the thirst of the soul as the beauty which expresses itself in sweetness and light.

Nothing on earth satisfies the soul's thirst like beauty that expresses itself in sweetness and light.

An old traveling man relates that once when on a trip to the West he sat next to an elderly lady who every now and then would lean out of the open window and pour some thick salt—it seemed to him—from a bottle. When she had emptied the bottle she would refill it from a hand-bag.

An old traveling salesman recalled a trip to the West when he sat next to an elderly woman. Now and then, she leaned out of the open window and poured something from a bottle. It looked to him like coarse salt. Whenever she emptied the bottle, she refilled it from a handbag.

A friend to whom this man related the incident told him he was acquainted with the lady, who was a great lover of flowers and an earnest follower of the precept: "Scatter your flowers as you go, for you may never travel the same road again." He said she added greatly to the beauty of the landscape along the railroads on which she traveled, by her custom of scattering flower seeds along the track as she rode. Many roads have thus been beautified and refreshed by this old lady's love of the beautiful and her effort to scatter beauty wherever she went.

The man told a friend about the incident. The friend said he knew the lady. She loved flowers and truly believed in this saying: "Scatter your flowers as you go, for you may never travel the same road again." He said she made the landscape along the railroads much more beautiful. Whenever she traveled by train, she scattered flower seeds along the tracks. In this way, many roads have been made more beautiful and refreshed by this old lady's love of beauty and her effort to spread it wherever she went.

If we would all cultivate a love of the beautiful and scatter beauty seeds as we go through life, what a paradise this earth would become!

If we all learned to love beauty and scattered its seeds as we went through life, what a paradise this earth would become!

What a splendid opportunity a vacation in the country offers to put beauty into the life; to cultivate the esthetic faculties, which in most people are wholly undeveloped and inactive! To some it is like going into God's great gallery of charm and beauty. They find in the landscape, the valley, the mountains, the fields, the meadows, the flowers, the streams, the brooks and the rivers, riches that no money can buy; beauties that would enchant the angels. But this beauty and glory can not be bought; they are only for those who can see them, appreciate them—who can read their message and respond to their affinity.

What a wonderful opportunity a country vacation offers to bring beauty into our lives! It gives us a chance to develop our sense of beauty, which is wholly undeveloped and inactive in most people. For some, a country vacation is like entering God's great gallery of charm and beauty. They find riches that no money can buy in the landscape, the valleys, mountains, fields, meadows, flowers, streams, brooks, and rivers. They find beauty that would enchant the angels. But this beauty and glory cannot be bought. They are only for those who can see and appreciate them, read their message, and respond to their attraction.

Have you never felt the marvelous power of beauty in nature? If not, you have missed one of the most exquisite joys in life. I was once going through the Yosemite Valley, and after riding one hundred miles in a stage-coach over rough mountain roads, I was so completely exhausted that it did not seem as though I could keep my seat until we traveled over the ten more miles which would bring us to our destination. But on looking down from the top of the mountain I caught a glimpse of the celebrated Yosemite Falls and the surrounding scenery, just as the sun broke through the clouds; and there was revealed a picture of such rare beauty and marvelous picturesqueness that every particle of fatigue, brain-fag, and muscle weariness departed in an instant. My whole soul thrilled with a winged sense of sublimity, grandeur, and beauty, which I had never experienced before, and which I never can forget. I felt a spiritual uplift which brought tears of joy to my eyes.

Have you ever felt the wonderful power of beauty in nature? If not, you have missed one of life’s greatest joys. I was once traveling through Yosemite Valley by stagecoach. After a hundred miles over rough mountain roads, I was completely exhausted. I did not think I could stay in my seat for the ten more miles to our destination. But from the mountaintop, I caught a glimpse of the famous Yosemite Falls and the surrounding scenery. Just then, the sun broke through the clouds. The scene was so beautiful and breathtaking that all my exhaustion, mental fatigue, and muscle weariness vanished instantly. My whole soul thrilled with a soaring sense of wonder, grandeur, and beauty. I had never felt anything like it before, and I can never forget it. I felt a spiritual uplift that brought tears of joy to my eyes.

No one can contemplate the wonderful beauties of Nature and doubt that the Creator must have intended that man, made in His own image and likeness, should be equally beautiful.

No one can look at the wonders of nature and doubt the Creator’s intention. He must have intended people, made in his own image and likeness, to be equally beautiful.

Beauty of character, charm of manner, attractiveness and graciousness of expression, a godlike bearing, are our birthrights. Yet how ugly, stiff, coarse, and harsh in appearance and bearing many of us are! No one can afford to disregard his good looks or personal appearance.

Beauty of character, charm of manner, an attractive and gracious expression, and a godlike bearing are our birthrights. Yet many of us look and carry ourselves in ugly, stiff, coarse, and harsh ways! No one can afford to neglect their good looks or personal appearance.

But if we wish to beautify the outer, we must first beautify the inner, for every thought and every motion shapes the delicate tracings of our face for ugliness or beauty. Inharmonious and destructive attitudes of mind will warp and mar the most beautiful features.

But if we want to make our outward appearance beautiful, we must first beautify our inner selves. Every thought and movement shapes the delicate lines of our face, making it ugly or beautiful. Disharmonious and destructive attitudes can distort and spoil even the most beautiful features.

Shakespeare says: "God has given you one face and you make yourselves another." The mind can make beauty or ugliness at will.

Shakespeare says: "God has given you one face, and you make yourselves another." The mind can create beauty or ugliness at will.

A sweet, noble disposition is absolutely essential to the highest form of beauty. It has transformed many a plain face. A bad temper, ill nature, jealousy, will ruin the most beautiful face ever created. After all, there is no beauty like that produced by a lovely character. Neither cosmetics, massage, nor drugs can remove the lines of prejudice, selfishness, envy, anxiety, mental vacillation that are the results of wrong thought habits.

A kind, noble nature is absolutely essential to the highest form of beauty. It has transformed many a plain face. A bad temper, meanness, and jealousy will ruin even the most beautiful face ever created. After all, no beauty compares to the beauty that comes from a lovely character. Cosmetics, massage, and drugs cannot remove the lines caused by prejudice, selfishness, envy, anxiety, and indecision. These are the results of bad habits of thought.

Beauty is from within. If every human being would cultivate a gracious mentality, not only would what he expressed be artistically beautiful, but also his body. There would indeed be grace and charm, a superiority about him, which would be even greater than mere physical beauty.

Beauty comes from within. If everyone developed a gracious mind, both their expressions and their bodies would be artistically beautiful. They would have grace, charm, and a distinction greater than mere physical beauty.

We have all seen even very plain women who, because of the charm of their personality, impressed us as transcendently beautiful. The exquisite soul qualities expressed through the body transformed it into their likeness. A fine spirit speaking through the plainest body will make it beautiful.

We have all seen very plain women whose charming personalities made them seem extraordinarily beautiful. The beautiful qualities of their souls shone through their bodies, transforming them to reflect those qualities. A fine spirit shining through even the plainest body will make it beautiful.

Some one, speaking of Fanny Kemble, said: "Although she was very stout and short, and had a very red face, yet she impressed me as the supreme embodiment of majestic attributes. I never saw so commanding a personality in feminine form. Any type of mere physical beauty would have paled to insignificance by her side."

Someone said of Fanny Kemble: "Although she was very short and stout, with a very red face, she seemed to embody majesty itself. I never saw a woman with such a commanding personality. Any kind of physical beauty alone would have seemed insignificant beside her."

Antoine Berryer says truly: "There are no ugly women. There are only women who do not know how to look pretty."

Antoine Berryer is right when he says: "There are no ugly women. There are only women who do not know how to look pretty."

The highest beauty—beauty that is far superior to mere regularity of feature or form—is within reach of everybody. It is perfectly possible for one, even with the homeliest face, to make herself beautiful by the habit of perpetually holding in mind the beauty thought, not the thought of mere superficial beauty, but that of heart beauty, soul beauty, and by the cultivation of a spirit of kindness, hopefulness, and unselfishness.

The highest beauty is within everyone’s reach. It is far greater than beauty based only on regular features or form. Even a woman with the plainest face can make herself beautiful. She can do this by always keeping thoughts of beauty in mind. This means not just outward beauty, but beauty of heart and soul. She can also become beautiful by cultivating kindness, hopefulness, and unselfishness.

The basis of all real personal beauty is a kindly, helpful bearing and a desire to scatter sunshine and good cheer everywhere, and this, shining through the face, makes it beautiful. The longing and the effort to be beautiful in character can not fail to make the life beautiful, and since the outward is but an expression of the inward, a mere outpicturing on the body of the habitual thought and dominating motives, the face, the manners, and the bearing must follow the thought and become sweet and attractive. If you hold the beauty thought, the love thought, persistently in the mind, you will make such an impression of harmony and sweetness wherever you go that no one will notice any plainness or deformity of person.

The basis of all real personal beauty is a kind, helpful manner and a desire to spread sunshine and good cheer everywhere. This spirit shines through the face and makes it beautiful. The desire and effort to have a beautiful character cannot fail to make your life beautiful. Your outward appearance is simply an expression of what is inside, a picture of your habitual thoughts and dominant motives. So your face, manners, and bearing must follow your thoughts and become sweet and attractive. If you keep thoughts of beauty and love in your mind, you will leave an impression of harmony and sweetness wherever you go. No one will notice any plainness or deformity in your appearance.

There are girls who have dwelt upon what they consider their unfortunate plainness so long that they have seriously exaggerated it. They are not half so plain as they think they are; and, were it not for the fact that they have made themselves very sensitive and self-conscious on the subject, others would not notice it at all. In fact, if they could get rid of their sensitiveness and be natural, they could, with persistent effort, make up in sprightliness of thought, in cheerfulness of manner, in intelligence, and in cheery helpfulness, what they lack in grace and beauty of face.

Some girls have spent so long thinking about what they see as their unfortunate plainness that they have greatly exaggerated it. They are not half as plain as they think. Others would not notice it at all if the girls had not become so sensitive and self-conscious about it. In fact, if they could overcome their sensitivity and act naturally, they could make up for their lack of grace and facial beauty. With persistent effort, they could do so through lively thoughts, a cheerful manner, intelligence, and cheerful helpfulness.

We admire the beautiful face, the beautiful form, but we love the face illumined by a beautiful soul. We love it because it suggests the ideal of the possible perfect man or woman, the ideal which was the Creator's model.

We admire a beautiful face and form, but we love a face lit up by a beautiful soul. We love it because it suggests the ideal of a perfect man or woman that is possible. This ideal was the Creator's model.

It is not the outward form of our dearest friend, but our ideal of friendship which he arouses or suggests in us that stirs up and brings into exercise our love and admiration. The highest beauty does not exist in the actual. It is the ideal, possible beauty, which the person or object symbolizes or suggests, that gives us delight.

It is not our dearest friend's outward appearance that stirs our love and admiration. Rather, it is the ideal of friendship that he awakens or suggests in us. The highest beauty does not exist in reality. What delights us is the ideal, possible beauty that a person or object symbolizes or suggests.

Everyone should endeavor to be beautiful and attractive; to be as complete a human being as possible. There is not a taint of vanity in the desire for the highest beauty.

Everyone should strive to be beautiful and attractive and to be as complete a human being as possible. There is nothing vain about wanting the highest beauty.

The love of beauty that confines itself to mere external form, however, misses its deepest significance. Beauty of form, of coloring, of light and shade, of sound, make our world beautiful; yet the mind that is warped and twisted can not see all this infinite beauty. It is the indwelling spirit, the ideal in the soul, that makes all things beautiful; that inspires and lifts us above ourselves.

A love of beauty that focuses only on outward appearances, however, misses its deepest meaning. Beauty in form, color, light and shade, and sound makes our world beautiful. Yet a warped and twisted mind cannot see all this boundless beauty. It is the spirit within us, the ideal in the soul, that makes all things beautiful. It inspires us and lifts us above ourselves.

We love the outwardly beautiful, because we crave perfection, and we can not help admiring those persons and things that most nearly embody or measure up to our human ideal.

We love outward beauty because we crave perfection. We cannot help admiring the people and things that come closest to our human ideal.

But a beautiful character will make beauty and poetry out of the prosiest environment, bring sunshine into the darkest home, and develop beauty and grace amid the ugliest surroundings.

But a beautiful character can create beauty and poetry in even the most ordinary setting. It can bring sunshine into the darkest home and bring out beauty and grace amid the ugliest surroundings.

What would become of us if it were not for the great souls who realize the divinity of life, who insist upon bringing out and emphasizing its poetry, its music, its harmony and beauty?

What would become of us without the great souls who recognize the divinity of life? They insist on bringing out and emphasizing its poetry, music, harmony, and beauty.

How sordid and common our lives would become but for these beauty-makers, these inspirers, these people who bring out all that is best and most attractive in every place, every situation and condition!

How dull and ordinary our lives would be without these makers of beauty and sources of inspiration! They bring out all that is best and most attractive in every place, situation, and condition.

There is no accomplishment, no trait of character, no quality of mind, which will give greater satisfaction and pleasure or contribute more to one's welfare than an appreciation of the beautiful. How many people might be saved from wrong-doing, even from lives of crime, by the cultivation of the esthetic faculties in their childhood! A love of the truly beautiful would save children from things which encoarsen and brutalize their natures. It would shield them from a multitude of temptations.

No achievement, character trait, or quality of mind brings more satisfaction and pleasure than an appreciation of beauty. Nothing contributes more to a person's well-being. How many people might be saved from wrongdoing, even from lives of crime, by learning to appreciate beauty in childhood! A love of true beauty would protect children from things that make them coarse and brutal. It would shield them from many temptations.

Parents do not take sufficient pains to develop the love and appreciation of beauty in their children. They do not realize that in impressionable youth, everything about the home, even the pictures, the paper on the wall, affect the growing character. They should never lose an opportunity of letting their boys and girls see beautiful works of art, hear beautiful music; they should make a practise of reading to them or having them read very often some lofty poem, or inspirational passages from some great writer, that will fill their minds with thoughts of beauty, open their souls to the inflow of the Divine Mind, the Divine Love which encompasses us round about. The influences that moved our youth determine the character, the success and happiness of our whole lives.

Parents do not do enough to develop their children's love and appreciation of beauty. They do not realize that, during the impressionable years of youth, everything in the home affects a child's developing character. Even the pictures and wallpaper have an effect. Parents should never miss a chance to let their children see beautiful works of art and hear beautiful music. They should often read an uplifting poem or inspiring passages from a great writer to their children, or have the children read them. These works will fill their minds with thoughts of beauty. They will open their souls to the Divine Mind and the Divine Love that surrounds us. The influences that shaped our youth determine the character, success, and happiness of our whole lives.

Every soul is born responsive to the beautiful, but this instinctive love of beauty must be fostered through the eye and the mind must be cultivated, or it will die. The craving for beauty is as strong in a child of the slums as in a favorite of fortune. "The physical hunger of the poor, the yearning of their stomachs," says Jacob A. Riis, "is not half so bitter, or so little likely to be satisfied as their esthetic hunger, their starving for the beautiful."

Everyone is born responsive to beauty. But this natural love of beauty must be nurtured through the eyes and the mind must be developed, or it will die. A child growing up in the slums craves beauty as strongly as a child blessed with good fortune. As Jacob A. Riis says, "The physical hunger of the poor, the hunger in their stomachs, is not half as bitter as their hunger for beauty. Nor is it half as unlikely to be satisfied."

Mr. Riis has often tried to take flowers from his Long Island home to the "poors" in Mulberry Street, New York. "But they never got there," he says. "Before I had gone half a block from the ferry I was held up by a shrieky mob of children who cried for the posies and would not let me go another step till I had given them one. And when they got it they ran, shielding the flower with the most jealous care, to some place where they could hide and gloat over their treasure. They came dragging big, fat babies and little weazened ones that they might get a share, and the babies' eyes grew round and big at the sight of the golden glory from the fields, the like of which had never come their way. The smaller the baby, and the poorer, the more wistful its look, and so my flowers went. Who could have said them no?

Mr. Riis has often tried to take flowers from his Long Island home to the “poor people” on Mulberry Street, New York. “But they never got there,” he says. “Before I had gone half a block from the ferry, a crowd of shrieking children stopped me. They cried out for the flowers and would not let me go another step until I gave each one a flower. Then they ran off, guarding their flowers with the greatest care. They found places to hide and admire their treasures. They came dragging big, fat babies and little shriveled ones so the babies could get a share. The babies’ eyes grew wide at the sight of the golden flowers from the fields. They had never seen anything like them. The smaller and poorer the baby, the more longing its look. And so my flowers were given away. Who could have said no to them?”

"I learned then what I had but vaguely understood before, that there is a hunger that is worse than that which starves the body and gets into the newspapers. All children love beauty and beautiful things. It is the spark of the divine nature that is in them and justifies itself! To that ideal their souls grow. When they cry out for it they are trying to tell us in the only way they can that if we let the slum starve the ideal, with its dirt and its ugliness and its hard-trodden mud where flowers were meant to grow, we are starving that which we little know. A man, a human, may grow a big body without a soul; but as a citizen, as a mother, he or she is worth nothing to the commonwealth. The mark they are going to leave upon it is the black smudge of the slum.

"I learned then what I had only vaguely understood before. There is a hunger worse than the kind that starves the body and makes the newspapers. All children love beauty and beautiful things. Their love of beauty is a spark of the divine nature within them, and it needs no justification! Their souls grow toward that ideal. When they cry out for beauty, they are trying to tell us something in the only way they can. If we let the slum starve that ideal, we are starving something we barely understand. The slum has dirt, ugliness, and hard, trampled mud where flowers were meant to grow. A person may grow a large body without a soul. But as a citizen or a mother, that person is worth nothing to the community. The mark they will leave on it is the black smudge of the slum."

"So when in these latter days we invade that slum to make homes there and teach the mothers to make them beautiful; when we gather the children into kindergartens, hang pictures in the schools; when we build beautiful new schools and public buildings and let in the light, with grass and flower and bird, where darkness and foulness were before; when we teach the children to dance and play and enjoy themselves—alas! that it should ever be needed—we are trying to wipe off the smudge, and to lift the heavy mortgage which it put on the morrow, a much heavier one in the loss of citizenship than any community, even the republic, can long endure. We are paying arrears of debt which we incurred by our sad neglect, and we could be about no better business."

“So today, we go into that slum to make homes and teach mothers to make them beautiful. We bring children into kindergartens and hang pictures in schools. We build beautiful new schools and public buildings. We bring light, grass, flowers, and birds to places where darkness and filth once prevailed. We teach children to dance, play, and enjoy themselves. Alas, it should never have been necessary to teach them! In doing all this, we are trying to wipe away the stain and lift the heavy burden it placed on the future. The loss of citizenship is a far heavier burden than any community, even the republic, can bear for long. We are paying an overdue debt caused by our sad neglect, and we could be doing no better work.”

There are many poor children in the slums of New York, Mr. Millionaire, who could go into your drawing-room and carry away from its rich canvases, its costly furnishings, a vision of beauty which you never perceived in them because your esthetic faculties, your finer sensibilities, were early stifled by your selfish pursuit of the dollar.

Mr. Millionaire, many poor children in the slums of New York could enter your living room and see beauty in its fine paintings and expensive furnishings. You never saw that beauty because your selfish pursuit of money stifled your appreciation of beauty and your finer sensitivities early in life.

The world is full of beautiful things, but the majority have not been trained to discern them. We can not see all the beauty that lies around us, because our eyes have not been trained to see it; our esthetic faculties have not been developed. We are like the lady who, standing with the great artist, Turner, before one of his wonderful landscapes, cried out in amazement: "Why, Mr. Turner, I can not see those things in nature that you have put in your picture."

The world is full of beautiful things, but most people have not been trained to notice them. We cannot see all the beauty around us because our eyes have not been trained to see it. Our sense of beauty has not been developed. We are like the woman who stood with the great artist Turner before one of his wonderful landscapes. She cried out in amazement: "Why, Mr. Turner, I cannot see those things in nature that you have put in your picture."

"Don't you wish you could, madam?" he replied. Just think what rare treats we shut out of our lives in our mad, selfish, insane pursuit of the dollar! Do you not wish that you could see the marvels that Turner saw in a landscape, that Ruskin saw in a sunset? Do you not wish that you had put a little more beauty into your life instead of allowing your nature to become encoarsened, your esthetic faculties blinded and your finer instincts blighted by the pursuit of the coarser things of life, instead of developing your brute instincts of pushing, elbowing your way through the world for a few more dollars, in your effort to get something away from somebody else?

"Don't you wish you could, madam?" he replied. Just think of the wonderful experiences we shut out of our lives in our mad, selfish, insane pursuit of money! Don't you wish you could see the wonders Turner saw in a landscape, or Ruskin in a sunset? Don't you wish you had brought a little more beauty into your life? Instead, you let the pursuit of life's coarser things make you coarse, blind your sense of beauty, and damage your finer instincts. You developed your brute instincts, pushing and elbowing your way through the world for a few more dollars, trying to take something from someone else.

Fortunate is the person who has been educated to the perception of beauty; he possesses a heritage of which no reverses can rob him. Yet it is a heritage possible to all who will take the trouble to begin early in life to cultivate the finer qualities of the soul, the eye, and the heart. "I am a lover of untainted and immortal beauty," exclaims Emerson. "Oh, world, what pictures and what harmony are thine!"

A person who has learned to appreciate beauty is fortunate. That person has an inheritance that no setback can take away. Yet this inheritance is available to all who take the trouble to cultivate the finer qualities of soul, eye, and heart early in life. "I love pure and immortal beauty," Emerson exclaims. "Oh, world, what pictures and harmony you have!"

A great scientist tells us that there is no natural object in the universe which, if seen as the Master sees it, coupled with all its infinite meaning, its utility and purpose, is not beautiful. Beauty is God's handwriting. Just as the most disgusting object, if put under a magnifying glass of sufficient power, would reveal beauties undreamed of, so even the most unlovely environment, the most cruel conditions, will, when viewed through the glass of a trained and disciplined mind, show something of the beautiful and the hopeful. A life that has been rightly trained will extract sweetness from everything; it will see beauty everywhere.

A great scientist tells us that every natural object in the universe is beautiful. We would see its beauty if we saw it as the Master does, along with all its infinite meaning, usefulness, and purpose. Beauty is God's handwriting. Even the most disgusting object would reveal undreamed-of beauty under a powerful enough magnifying glass. In the same way, a trained and disciplined mind can find something beautiful and hopeful even in the most unattractive surroundings and cruel conditions. A properly trained life will draw sweetness from everything and see beauty everywhere.

Situated as we are in a world of beauty and sublimity, we have no right to devote practically all of our energies and to sap all our life forces in the pursuit of selfish aims, in accumulating material wealth, in piling up dollars. It is our duty to treat life as a glory, not as a grind or a purely business transaction, dealing wholly with money and bread-and-butter questions. Wherever you are, put beauty into your life.

We live in a world of beauty and grandeur. We have no right to devote nearly all our energy and drain our life force pursuing selfish goals, accumulating wealth, and piling up dollars. It is our duty to treat life as something glorious, not as a grind or a purely business transaction concerned only with money and making a living. Wherever you are, bring beauty into your life.