Great Throughts Treasury

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

Related Quotes

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

Nearly everything possible has been done to spoil this game: the heavy financial interests... the absurd publicity given to every feature of it by the Press... but the fact remains that it is not yet spoilt, and it has gone out and conquered the world.

Compassion | Effort | God | History | Hope | Little | Need | People | Policy | Religion | Right | Will | God |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Clothes are of but little loss, if you escape from drowning.

Computer | Energy | Right | Technology |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

From the fact that there are 400,000 species of beetles on this planet, but only 8,000 species of mammals, he [Haldane] concluded that the Creator, if He exists, has a special preference for beetles.

Thought | Wrong | Thought |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

At the hill?s foot Frodo found Aragorn, standing still and silent as a tree; but in his hand was a small golden bloom of elanor, and a light was in his eyes. He was wrapped in some fair memory: and as Frodo looked at him he knew that he beheld things as they had been in this same place. For the grim years were removed from the face of Aragorn, and he seemed clothed in white, a young lord fall and fair; and he spoke words in the Elvish tongue to one whom Frodo could not see. Arwen vanimelda, namarie! He said, and then he drew a breath, and returning out of his thought he looked at Frodo and smiled. `Here is the heart of Elvendom on earth,? he said, `and here my heart dwells ever, unless there be a light beyond the dark roads that we still must tread, you and I. Come with me!? And taking Frodo?s hand in his, he left the hill of Cerin Amroth and came there never again as a living man.

Enough | Question | Right |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

A real taste for fairy-stories was wakened by philology on the threshold of manhood, and quickened to full life by war.

Belief | Uncertainty | Wrong |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Bilbo almost stopped breathing, and went stiff himself. He was desperate. He must get away, out of this horrible darkness, while he had any strength left. He must fight. He must stab the foul thing, put its eyes out, kill it. It meant to kill him. No, not a fair fight. He was invisible now. Gollum had no sword. Gollum had not actually threatened to kill him, or tried yet. And he was miserable, alone, lost. A sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror, welled up in Bilbo?s heart: a glimpse of endless unmarked days without light or hope of betterment, hard stone, cold fish, sneaking and whispering.

Abuse | Chance | Effort | Exploit | Good | Little | Office | People | Price | Right | Child |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

I can't help feeling wary when I hear anything said about the masses. First you take their faces from 'em by calling 'em the masses and then you accuse 'em of not having any faces.

Spirituality | Wrong |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

I am quite sure that our views on evolution would be very different had biologists studied genetics and natural selection before and not after most of them were convinced that evolution had occurred.

Time | Worry | Wrong | Think |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Against delay. Against the way that seems easier. Against refusal of the burden that is laid on me. Against - well, if it must be said, against trust in the strength and truth of Men.

Important | Will | Wrong | Learn |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

A tree there tower Tall and branching That house upholding The hall's wonder Its leaves their hangings Its limbs rafters Its mighty bole In the midst standing.

Fear | Love | Right |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

Many a man is praised for his reserve and so-called shyness when he is simply too proud to risk making a fool of himself.

Better | Diligence | Nothing | Purity | Right | Sloth | Thinking | Words | Wrong | Friends |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

Every Christian church has tried to impose a code of morals of some kind for which it has claimed divine sanction. As these codes have always been opposed to those of the gospels a loophole has been left for moral progress such as hardly exists in other religions.

Wrong | Think |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

After some while Bilbo became impatient. Well, what is it? he said. The answer's not a kettle boiling over, as you seem to think by the noise you are making.

Gold | Journey | Right | Spirit | Thought | Wants | World | Wrong | Thought |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

And long there he lay, an image of the splendor of the Kings of Men in glory undimmed before the breaking of the world.

Care | Nothing | People | Question | Right | Slavery |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

For the trouble with the real folk of Faerie is that they do not always look like what they are; and they put on the pride and beauty that we would fain wear ourselves.

Authority | Wrong |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Haldir had gone on and was now climbing to the high flet. As Frodo prepared to follow him, he laid his hand upon the tree beside the ladder: never before had he been so suddenly and so keenly aware of the feel and texture of a tree's skin and of the life within it. He felt a delight in wood and the touch of it, neither as forester nor as carpenter; it was the delight of the living tree itself.

People | Wrong |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Few other griefs amid the ill chances of this world have more bitterness and shame for a man's heart than to behold the love of a lady so fair and brave that cannot be returned.

Right |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

I am dreading the publication, for it will be impossible not to mind what is said. I have exposed my heart to be shot at.

Education | Passion | Right | Value |