Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Thomas Fuller

English Divine, Historian and Author

"A broken friendship may be soldered, but will never be sound."

"A danger foreseen is half avoided."

"A good cause makes a stout heart and a strong arm."

"A grain of Prudence is worth a Pound of Craft."

"A man surprised is half beaten."

"A poor spirit is poorer than a poor purse."

"A small leak will sink a great ship."

"A Stumble may prevent a Fall."

"A willful falsehood told is a cripple, not able to stand by itself without another to support it. It is easy to tell a lie, but hard to tell only one lie."

"A wise Man's thoughts walk with him, but a Fool's without him."

"All things were difficult before they were easy."

"All truth is not to be held at all times."

"Always you are to be rich next Year... Riches alone make no Man happy."

"An empty purse frightens away friends."

"An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men."

"Anger is many times more hurtful, than the Injury that caused it."

"Anger is one of the sinews of the soul; he that wants it hath a maimed mind."

"As the sword of the best tempered metal is most flexible, so the truly generous are most pliant and courteous in their behavior to their inferiors."

"Better a lean Peace, than that of a fat Victory."

"Better hazard once, than always be in Fear."

"Calamity is the Touchstone of a brave Mind."

"Change of weather is the discourse of fools."

"Cheerfulness in doing renders a deed more acceptable."

"Children increase the Cares of Life; but mitigate the Remembrance of Death."

"Clowns are best in their own Company, but Gentlemen are best everywhere."

"Comparison, more than reality, makes men happy or wretched."

"Compliments cost nothing, yet many pay dear for them."

"Contentment consisteth not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire: not in multiplying of wealthy, but in subtracting men's desires."

"Custom is the Plague of wise Men, and the Idol of Fools."

"Death is the grand leveler."

"Debt is the worst poverty."

"Destiny leads the willing, but drags the unwilling."

"Drawing near her death, she sent most pious thoughts as harbingers to heaven; and her soul saw a glimpse of happiness through the chinks of her sickness-broken body."

"Eat bread is forgotten."

"Education begins a Gentlemen, Conversation completes him."

"Every horse thinks his own pack heaviest."

"Every man hath a fool in his sleeve."

"Every man living hath something to do."

"Every one thinks he knows much."

"Every slip is not a fall."

"Every Thing has its Time, and that Time must be watch'd."

"Fame is the echo of actions, resounding them to the world, save that the echo repeats only the last part; but fame relates all, and often more than all."

"Give freely to him that deserveth well and asketh nothing: and that is a way of giving to thyself."

"Happiness generally depends more on the opinion we have of Things, than on the Things themselves."

"Harmless mirth is the best cordial against the consumption of the spirit."

"Hatred is blind, as well as love."

"He declares himself guilty who justifies himself before accusation."

"He is happy, that knoweth not himself to be otherwise."

"He is idle that might be better employed."

"He is rich that is satisfied."