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.
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.
We are oftener treacherous through weakness than through calculation.
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.
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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.
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Our merit gains us the esteem of the virtuous; our star, that of the public.
People who think they can live mean penance others lie to ourselves, but those who think other people cannot live without him be wrong again.
Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company.
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O thoughts of men accurst! Past and to come seems best; things present, worst.
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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.
O devil, devil! If that the earth could teem with woman's tears, each drop she falls would prove a crocodile.
ORSINO: How dost thou like this tune? VIOLA: It gives a very echo to the seat where love is throned.
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Prince Shōtoku, born Shotoku Taishi, aka Prince Umayado or Prince Kamitsumiya
Do not fail to obey the commands of your Sovereign. He is like Heaven, which is above the Earth, and the vassal is like the Earth, which bears up Heaven. When Heaven and Earth are properly in place, the four seasons follow their course and all is well in Nature. But if the Earth attempts to take the place of Heaven, Heaven would simply fall in ruin. That is why the vassal listens when the lord speaks, and the inferior obeys when the superior acts. Consequently when you receive the commands of your Sovereign, do not fail to carry them out or ruin will be the natural result.
Prince Shōtoku, born Shotoku Taishi, aka Prince Umayado or Prince Kamitsumiya
Good faith is the foundation of right. In everything let there be good faith, for if the lord and the vassal keep faith with one another, what cannot be accomplished? If the lord and the vassal do not keep faith with each other, everything will end in failure.
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