Not to go back is somewhat to advance, and men must walk, at least, before they dance.

Not to go back is somewhat to advance, and men must walk, at least, before they dance.

Is it progress if a cannibal uses a knife and fork?

Is it progress if a cannibal uses a knife and fork?

The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.

The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.

Finds progress, man's distinctive mark alone,
Not God's, and not the beast's;
God is, they are,
read more

Finds progress, man's distinctive mark alone,
Not God's, and not the beast's;
God is, they are,
Man partly is, and wholly hopes to be.

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. read more

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

I have seen that Man moves over with each new generation into a
bigger body, more awful, more reverent read more

I have seen that Man moves over with each new generation into a
bigger body, more awful, more reverent and more free than he has
had before.

Progress is the process whereby the human race is getting rid of whiskers, the veriform appendix and God.

Progress is the process whereby the human race is getting rid of whiskers, the veriform appendix and God.

From lower to the higher next,
Not to the top, is Nature's text;
And embryo good, to read more

From lower to the higher next,
Not to the top, is Nature's text;
And embryo good, to reach full stature,
Absorbs the evil in its nature.

Westward the course of empire takes its way;
The four first Acts already past,
A fifth shall read more

Westward the course of empire takes its way;
The four first Acts already past,
A fifth shall close the Drama with the day;
Time's noblest offspring is the last.