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

Walter Savage Landor

A great man knows the value of greatness; he dares not hazard it, he will not squander it.

Critic |

Washington Irving

His wife ruled the roost, and in governing the governor, governed the province, which might thus be said to be under petticoat government.

Good |

Wendell Berry

If the devil doesn't exist... how do you explain that some people are a lot worse than they're smart enough to be?

Force | Love | Mortal | Nature | Omnipotence | World |

Welsh Proverbs

He who has nothing cannot be liberal.

Vitruvius, fully Marcus Vitruvius Pollio NULL

Therefore it was the discovery of fire that originally gave rise to the coming together of men, to the deliberate assembly, and to social intercourse.

Body | Nature | Reason |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

Befriend him, death, and pity him, may he from here arise. Unharmed, with sound limbs, hearing perfectly, through old age carrying a hundred years, let him get enjoyment by himself (unaided).

Wonder |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

There is a conscience in Man, a whispering right advice, restraining unjust hands which man has almost succeeded in silencing; but, it is the voice of God; it can never be made dumb. Make the children cognizant of it.

Excellence | Excellence |

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

The trained mind is torn by fear; the pure elevated mind is placid and unruffled, like that of a homeless Sage.

Anger | Chance | Health | Inclination | Leisure | Man | Silence |

Vauvenargues, Luc de Clapiers, Marquis de Vauvenargues NULL

You will only offend men by praise which suggest the limits of their worth.

People | Prudence | Prudence |

Vauvenargues, Luc de Clapiers, Marquis de Vauvenargues NULL

No one says in the morning: A day is soon past, let us wait for the night. On the contrary, in the evening we consider what we shall do the next day. We should be very sorry to spend even one day at the mercy of time and bores. … Who can be certain of spending an hour without being bored, if he takes no care to fill even that short period according to his pleasure. Yet what we cannot be certain of for an hour, we sometimes feel assured of for life, and say: If death is the end of everything, why give ourselves so much trouble? We are extremely foolish to make such a pother about the future—that is to say, we are extremely foolish not to entrust our destinies to chance, and to provide for the interval which lies between us and death.

Hsuan Hua, aka An Tzu and Tu Lun

The Buddha says you can believe in your God and Buddha too. Your God is like a parent to you, his child. If you do something bad, he forgives you. Buddha has an adult-to-adult relationship with you. If you do something bad, you are accountable for your actions.

Turkish Proverbs

Having two ears and one tongue, we should listen twice as much as we speak.

Turkish Proverbs

Who sows wheat with the devil will get its chaff.

Friend |

William Shakespeare

And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray's in deepest consequence. Macbeth, Act I, Scene 3

Jealousy |

William Shakespeare

And in some sort these wants of mine are crowned, that I account them blessings; for by these shall i try friends. You shall perceive how you mistake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends. Timon of Athens, Act ii, Scene 2

William Shakespeare

But I have that honorable grief lodged here which burns worse than tears drown.

Think |

William Shakespeare

But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth; his words are bonds, his oaths are oracles, his love sincere, his thoughts immaculate, his tears pure messengers sent from his heart, his heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth. Two Gentlemen from Verona, Act ii, Scene 7

Man | Perfection |

William Shakespeare

CASSIUS: Did Cicero say anything? CASCA: Ay, he spoke Greek. Cassius: To what effect? CASCA: Nay, an I tell you that I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: but those that understood him smiled at one another, and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene 2

François de La Rochefoucauld, François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillac, Francois A. F. Rochefoucauld-Liancourt

Happiness is dependent on the taste, and not on things. It is by having what we like that we are made happy, not by having what others think desirable.

Pleasure |