The best thing anyone ever said about learning

At least this gets my nomination. First made known to me years ago by my brother Bill, of whose independence of mind, resourcefulness, and creativity I have always been in awe. Thanks again, Bill.

The best thing for being sad . . .  is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.

The Wizard Merlin to the future King Arthur, in The Once and Future King by T.H. White