Great Throughts Treasury

"Beware of the virtue which a man boasts is his."

"Generosity, to be perfect, should always be accompanied by a dash of humor."

"Grace is the outcome of inward harmony."

"In youth we learn; in age we understand."

"It is unfortunate that superior talent and superior men are so seldom united."

"An opinion may be controverted; a prejudice, never."

"Be the first to say what is self-evident, and you are immortal."

"Kindness which is not inexhaustible does not deserve the name."

"Nothing is so often irrevocably neglected as an opportunity of daily occurrence."

"One thought cannot wake without awakening others."

"How wise must one be to be always kind."

"How happy are the pessimists! What joy is their when they have proved there is no joy."

"The incurable ills are the imaginary ills."

"Passion is always suffering, even when gratified."

"Never expect women to be sincere so long as they are educated to think that their first aim in life is to please."

"Only the thinking man lives his life. The thoughtless man's life passes him by."

"Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop."

"The sympathy of most people consists of a mixture of good-humor, curiosity, and self-importance."

"They understand but little who understand only what can be explained."

"The wise man is seldom prudent."

"We usually learn to wait only when we have no longer anything to wait for."

"There is something so beautiful in trust that even the most hardened liar must needs feel a certain respect for those who confide in him."

"What delights us in visible beauty is the invisible."

"Bitter is the criticism for which, with the best of wills, we can derive no benefit."

"Distrust your judgment the moment you can discern the shadow of a personal motive in it."

"An aphorism is the last link in a long chain of thought."

"The greatest enemy of justice is privilege."

"Freedom stretches as far as your self-control."

"To be satisfied with little is hard, to be satisfied with a lot is impossible."

"You can’t be of help to everybody! Say the narrow-minded, and help nobody."