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

Vernon Howard, fully Vernon Linwood Howard

The power of the present moment is so immense it is capable - when lived in fully - of destroying forever every past mistake and regret.

Good | People | Power | Time | Think |

Victor Hugo

Destiny never opens one door without shutting another.

History | Play | Power | Silence | Words | Writing |

Victor Hugo

I had a dream my life would be different from this hell I am living, so different from what it seemed. Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

Earth | Eternal | Future | Grave | Reflection | Soul | Sound | Waste | Will | Work | Writing |

Victor Hugo

Nothing equals the timidity of ignorance, except its temerity. When ignorance sets out but to dare, it is because it has a compass within it. This compass is the intuition of the true, often more clear in a simple than in an enlightened mind.... all this detracts nothing from science, which remains the rule. The ignorant man may discover, the learned man alone invents.

Power |

Victor Hugo

The profound word 'number' is at the base of man's thought; it is, to our intelligence, elemental; it signifies harmony as well as mathematics... Without number, no science; without number, no poetry.

Love | People | Power |

Victor Hugo

Suddenly finding such a secret in the midst of one's happiness is like the discovery of a scorpion in a nest of turtledoves.

Darkness | Law | Men | System | Waste |

Viktor Frankl, fully Viktor Emil Frankl

But my mind clung to my wife's image, imagining it with an uncanny acuteness. I heard her answering me, saw her smile, her frank and encouraging look. Real or not, her look then was more luminous than the sun which was beginning to rise.

Growth | Power | Space |

Rig Veda, or The Rigveda

If the thought is pure then the deeds are definite to be pure and quite obviously the results are unquestionably excellent.

Men | Opinion | Power | Wealth |

Viktor Frankl, fully Viktor Emil Frankl

In camp too, a man might draw the attention of a comrade working next to him to a nice view of the setting sun shining through the tall trees of the Bavarian woods (as in the famous water color by Dürer), the same woods in which we had built an enormous, hidden munitions plant. One evening, when we were already resting on the floor of our hut, dead tired, soup bowls in hand, a fellow prisoner rushed in and asked us to run out to the assembly grounds and see the wonderful sunset. Standing outside we saw sinister clouds glowing in the west and the whole sky alive with clouds of ever-changing shapes and colors, from steel blue to blood red. The desolate grey mud huts provided a sharp contrast, while the puddles on the muddy ground reflected the glowing sky. Then, after minutes of moving silence, one prisoner said to another, 'How beautiful the world could be!'

Growth | Power | Space |

Rig Veda, or The Rigveda

Everybody likes to befriend a Soft spoken person. Therefore one should always speak good of others and be soft spoken.

Intelligence | Power | Intellect |

Rig Veda, or The Rigveda

May you be intelligent, provider of wealth and protector of the path of truth.

Lord | Power |

Rig Veda, or The Rigveda

Deeds done with a sense of righteousness do not give an opportunity for sin to breed and consequently inhibit the emergence of sin and evil.

Darkness | Power |

Viktor Frankl, fully Viktor Emil Frankl

But there was no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer.

Ability | Accident | Day | Growth | Life | Life | Meaning | Power | Psychology | Television | Time | Will |

Viktor Frankl, fully Viktor Emil Frankl

It is the very pursuit of happiness that thwarts happiness.

Existence | Experience | Man | Power |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

I draw to myself thy mind, as the leading stallion the female side-horse. As the stalk of grass torn by the wind, thus shall thy mind fasten itself upon me.

Power |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

He (Sun) is not indolent, boarded on His chariot pulled by seven horses, when He wills to make a move, He assumes two forms. O Sun. after arising.

Love | Men | Power |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

Money and mansions are not the only wealth. Hoard the wealth of the Spirit. Character is wealth; good conduct is wealth; and spiritual wisdom is wealth.

Power |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

We should always be ready to work diligently.

Death | Life | Life | Power | Prosperity | Strength | Happiness |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

The mother shall sleep, the father shall sleep, the dog shall sleep, the lord of the house shall sleep. All her relations shall sleep, and these people round about shall sleep.

Anger | Mortal | Power |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

The two sages Alert and Watchful, the sleepless and the vigilant, these two guardians of thy life's breath, are awake both day and night.

Power |