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

Eugene Peterson

ItÂ’s a wonderful formula for getting to heaven the quickest and easiest way. And virtually foolproof. There is no time to backslide, no temptations to bother with, no doubts to wrestle with, no spouse to have to honor, no kids to put up with, no enemies to love, no more sorrow, no more tears. Instant eternity.

Conversation | God | Life | Life | People | Work | God |

Étienne Pivert de Senancour

The moral is the only science of man comes to the welfare of man.

Means | Work |

Eudora Welty

Then the light changed the water, until all about them the woods in the rising wind seemed to grow taller and blow inward together and suddenly turn dark. The rain struck heavily. A huge tail seemed to lash through the air and the river broke in a wound of silver.

Life | Life | Work | Writing |

Gore Vidal, fully Eugene Luther Gore Vidal

By the time a man gets to be presidential material, he's been bought ten times over.

Work |

Gore Vidal, fully Eugene Luther Gore Vidal

The more money an American accumulates, the less interesting he becomes.

Deeds | Good | Knowledge | Life | Life | Man | Vision | Wise | Work | Deeds |

Eugene V. Debs, fully Eugene Victor Debs

If the people would but analyze the human equation of a prison they might better account for the crimes that are visited upon them in cities, towns, and hamlets, oft times by men who graduated with an education and equipment for just that sort of retributive service from some penal institution.

Self-interest | Slavery | Work |

Gore Vidal, fully Eugene Luther Gore Vidal

IÂ’m not sentimental about anything. Life flows by, and you flow with it or you donÂ’t. Move on and move out.

Jealousy | Work | Think |

Eugene V. Debs, fully Eugene Victor Debs

Now my friends, I am opposed to the system of society in which we live today, not because I lack the natural equipment to do for myself but because I am not satisfied to make myself comfortable knowing that there are thousands of my fellow men who suffer for the barest necessities of life. We were taught under the old ethic that man’s business on this earth was to look out for himself. That was the ethic of the jungle; the ethic of the wild beast. Take care of yourself, no matter what may become of your fellow man. Thousands of years ago the question was asked; ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ That question has never yet been answered in a way that is satisfactory to civilized society.

Soul | Work |

Gore Vidal, fully Eugene Luther Gore Vidal

The planet Venus, a circle of silver in a green sky, pierced the edge of the evening while the wintry woods darkened about me and in the stillness the regular sound of my footsteps striking the pavement was like a the rhythmic beating of a giant stone heart.

Experiment | Freedom | Law | Lesson | Order | Will | Work | Think |

Eugene V. Debs, fully Eugene Victor Debs

I do not oppose the insane asylum — but I abhor and condemn the cutthroat system that robs man of his reason, drives him to insanity and makes the lunatic asylum an indispensable adjunct to every civilized community.

Enough | Fortune | Man | Men | Nothing | Order | Work |

Eugene V. Debs, fully Eugene Victor Debs

Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.

Better | Mind | Need | Slavery | Soul | Time | Work |

Gore Vidal, fully Eugene Luther Gore Vidal

On 16 September 1985, when the Commerce Department announced that the United States had become a debtor nation, the American Empire died.

News | Time | Work |

Gore Vidal, fully Eugene Luther Gore Vidal

Write something, even if it's just a suicide note.

Events | Motives | Work |

Eugene V. Debs, fully Eugene Victor Debs

Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. I would not lead you out if I could; for if you could be led out, you could be led back again. I would have you make up your minds there is nothing that you cannot do for yourselves.

Work |

Eugenio Montale

I do not go in search of poetry. I wait for poetry to visit me.

Capacity | Extreme | Fault | Philosophy | Work | Fault | Think |