This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Whom do I call educated? First, those who manage well the circumstances they encounter day by day. Next, those who are decent and honorable in their intercourse with all men, bearing easily and good naturedly what is offensive in others and being as agreeable and reasonable to their associates as is humanly possible to be... those who hold their pleasures always under control and are not ultimately overcome by their misfortunes... those who are not spoiled by their successes, who do not desert their true selves but hold their ground steadfastly as wise and sober -- minded men.
Associates | Circumstances | Control | Day | Good | Pleasure | Success | Thinking | Wise |
Employ your time in improving yourselves by other men’s documents: so shall you come easily by what others have labored hard for.
Philip Sidney, fully Sir Philip Sidney
Open suspecting of others come of secretly condemning ourselves.
Benjamin Collins Brodie, fully Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, 1st Baronet
Humility leads to the highest distinction, because it leads to self-improvement. Study your own characters; endeavor to learn and to supply your own deficiencies; never assume to yourselves qualities which you do not possess; combine all this with energy and activity, and you cannot predicate of yourselves, nor can others predicate of you, at what point you may arrive at last.
Distinction | Energy | Humility | Improvement | Qualities | Self | Self-improvement | Study | Learn |
To learn how to die is to learn how to live; to learn how to live is to learn how to act not only in this life, but in the lives to come. To transform yourself truly and learn how to be reborn as a transformed being to help others is really to help the world in the most powerful way of all.
He who shares the afflictions of others will merit to behold the comforting of humanity.
Mahabharata or The Mahabharata NULL
This is the sum of all true righteousness: deal with others as thou wouldst thyself be dealt by. Do nothing to thy neighbor which thou wouldst not have him do to thee hereafter.
Nothing | Righteousness |
The highest praise is silence. Even a pearl of infinite value, any praise given it detracts from it.
In judging of others a man laboreth in vain, often erreth, and easily sinneth; but in judging and examining himself, he always laboreth fruitfully.
Man |
Great tranquillity of heart is his who cares for neither praise nor blame.
Blame | Heart | Praise | Tranquility |
Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.
Mahabharata or The Mahabharata NULL
Do nothing to others which, if done to you, would cause you pain.