This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
A shrewd man has to arrange his interests in order of importance and deal with them one by one; but often our greed upsets this order and makes us run after so many things at once that through over-anxiety to obtain the trivial, we miss the most important.
Few people know death, we only endure it, usually from determination, and even from stupidity and custom; and most men only die because they know not how to prevent dying.
Heat of blood makes young people change their inclinations often, and habit makes old ones keep to theirs a great while.
Our envy always lasts longer than the happiness of those we envy.
We do not regret the loss of our friends by reasons of their merit, but because of our needs and for the good opinion that we believed them to have held of us.
It is easier to know men in general, than men in particular.
The principal point of cleverness is to know how to value things just as they deserve.
The secret of pleasing in conversation is not to explain too much everything; to say them half and leave a little for divination is a mark of the good opinion we have of others, and nothing flatters their self-love more.
Praise |
The sort of liveliness which increases with age is not far distant from madness.
We should often be ashamed of our finest actions if the world understood all the motives behind them.
There is no better proof of a man's being truly good than his desiring to be constantly under the observation of good men.
Praise |
The shame that arises from praise which we do not deserve often makes us do things we should otherwise never have attempted.
Conversation | Good | Little | Nothing | Opinion | Self-love |
Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company.
Praise |
In the adversity of our best friends we often find something which does not displease us.
O thoughts of men accurst! Past and to come seems best; things present, worst.
Praise |
O, how wretched is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors! There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to, that sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin, more pangs and fears than wars or women have; and when he falls, he falls like Lucifer, never to hope again.