This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
The persecution of genius fosters its influence.
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.
Desire |
The supreme desire of everything, and that first given by nature, is to return to its source; and since God is the source of our souls and Maker of them… to him this soul desires above all to return.
We refuse praise from a desire to be praised twice.
Religious persecution may shield itself under the guides of a mistaken and over-zealous piety.
Piety |
The desire of appearing clever often prevents our becoming so.
Desire |
We never desire earnestly what we desire in reason.
There are different kinds of curiosity - one of interest, which causes us to learn that which would be useful to us, and the other of pride which springs from desire to know that of which others are ignorant.
Before we passionately desire anything which another enjoys, we should examine into the happiness of its possessor.
The contempt of riches in the philosophers was a concealed desire of revenging on fortune the injustice done to their merit, by despising the good she denied them.
Contempt | Desire | Fortune | Good | Injustice | Injustice | Merit | Riches | Riches |
The gratitude of most men is but a secret desire of receiving greater benefits.
The urgent consideration of the public safety may undoubtedly authorize the violation of every positive law. How far that or any other consideration may operate to dissolve the natural obligations of humanity and justice, is a doctrine of which I still desire to remain ignorant.
Consideration | Desire | Doctrine | Humanity | Justice | Law | Public |
Generally we praise only to be praised... Refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
Nothing so much prevents our being natural as the desire to seem so.
It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.
Desire |
The love of glory, the fear of disgrace, the incentive to succeed, the desire to live in comfort, and the instinct to humiliate others are often the cause of that courage so renowned among men.
Cause | Comfort | Courage | Desire | Disgrace | Fear | Glory | Instinct | Love | Men |
We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but is own talents.