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

Hugh Blair

Action, so to speak, is the genius of nature.

Action | Character | Genius | Nature |

Hugh Blair

Dissimulation in youth is the forerunner of perfidy in old age; its first appearance is the fatal omen of growing depravity and future shame. It degrades parts and learning obscures the luster of every accomplishment and sinks us into contempt. The path of falsehood is a perplexing maze. After the first departure from sincerity, it is not in our power to stop; one artifice unavoidably leads on to another, till, as the intricacy of the labyrinth increases, we are left entangled in our snare.

Accomplishment | Age | Appearance | Artifice | Character | Contempt | Falsehood | Future | Learning | Old age | Perfidy | Power | Shame | Sincerity | Youth | Youth | Old |

Richard Maurice Bucke, often called Maurice Bucke

When a person who was self conscious only, enters into cosmic consciousness - he knows without learning certain things... that the universe is not a dead machine but a living presence... that in its essence and tendency it is infinitely good... that individual existence is continuous beyond what is called death.

Character | Consciousness | Death | Existence | Good | Individual | Learning | Self | Universe |

Samuel Egerton Brydges

I have observed that vulgar readers almost always lose their veneration for the writings of the genius with whom they have had personal intercourse.

Character | Genius |

James Boswell

True great genius is always accompanied with good sense.

Character | Genius | Good | Sense |

Calvin Coolidge, fully John Calvin Coolidge, Jr.

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

Character | Determination | Education | Genius | Men | Nothing | Persistence | Will | World | Talent |

Madame Deluzy, Luzy Dorothee

There is but one book for genius - nature.

Character | Genius | Nature |

Antoinette Du Ligier de la Garde Deshoulières

Seeking to know is only too often learning to doubt.

Character | Doubt | Learning |

Henry Fielding

There is a sort of knowledge beyond the power of learning to bestow, and this is to be had in conversation; so necessary is this to the understanding the characters of men, that none are more ignorant of them than those learned pedants whose lives have been entirely consumed in colleges and among books; for however exquisitely human nature may have been described by writers the true practical system can be learned only in the world.

Books | Character | Conversation | Human nature | Knowledge | Learning | Men | Nature | Power | System | Understanding | World |

Edgar Z. Friedenberg

So much of learning to be an American is learning not to let your individuality become a nuisance.

Character | Individuality | Learning |

Julius Charles Hare (1795-1855) and his brother Augustus William Hare

Heroism is the self-devotion of genius manifesting itself in action.

Action | Character | Devotion | Genius | Self |

Julius Charles Hare (1795-1855) and his brother Augustus William Hare

Heroism is active genius; genius, contemplative heroism. Heroism is the self-devotion of genius manifesting itself in action.

Action | Character | Devotion | Genius | Self |

H. G. Hutcheson

The most difficult job teenagers have today is learning good conduct without seeing any.

Character | Conduct | Good | Learning |

Victor Hugo

Inspiration and genius - one and the same.

Character | Genius | Inspiration | Wisdom |

David Hume

The spirit of the people must frequently be roused, in order to curb the ambition of the court; and the dread of rousing this spirit must be employed to prevent that ambition. Nothing so effectual to this purpose as the liberty of the press; by which all the learning, wit, and genius of the nation, may be employed on the side of freedom, and every one be animated to its defense.

Ambition | Character | Defense | Dread | Freedom | Genius | Learning | Liberty | Nothing | Order | People | Purpose | Purpose | Spirit | Wit | Ambition |

David Hume

Curiosity, or the love of knowledge, has a very limited influence, and requires youth, leisure, education, genius and example to make it govern any person.

Character | Curiosity | Education | Example | Genius | Influence | Knowledge | Leisure | Love | Youth | Govern |