This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
I lay it down as a fact that, if all men knew what others say of them, there would not be four friends in the world. This appears from the quarrels to which indiscreet reports occasionally give rise.
Bertrand Russell, fully Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell
Ethics is in origin the art of recommending to others the sacrifices required for cooperation with oneself.
Art | Cooperation | Ethics | Art |
Billy Graham, formally William Franklin "Billy" Graham
Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.
Religion is suited to all kinds of minds. Some pay attention only to its establishment, and this religion is such that its very establishment suffices to prove its truth. Others trace it even to the apostles. The more learned go back to the beginning of the world. The angels see it better still, and from a more distant time.
Angels | Attention | Beginning | Better | Religion | Time | Truth | World |
The proud man places himself at a distance from other men; seen through that distance, others perhaps appear little to him; but he forgets that this very distance causes him to appear equally little to others.
He that will not permit his wealth to do any good to others while he is living, prevents it from doing any good to himself when he is dead; and by an egotism that is suicidal and has a double edge, cuts himself from the truest pleasure here and the highest happiness hereafter.
There is a paradox in pride: it makes some men ridiculous, but prevents others from becoming so.
No company is preferable to bad, because we are more apt to catch the vices of others than their virtues, as disease is far more contagious than health.
There is a diabolical trio existing in the natural man, implacable, inextinguishable, co-operative and consentaneous, pride, envy, and hate; pride that makes us fancy we deserve all the goods that others possess; envy that some should be admired while we are overlooked; and hate, because all that is bestowed on others, diminishes the sum we think due to ourselves.
The greatest and the most amiable privilege which the rich enjoy over the poor is that which they exercise the least, the privilege of making others happy.
To be obliged to beg our daily happiness from others bespeaks a more lamentable poverty than that of him who begs his daily bread.
When young, we trust ourselves too much and we trust others too little when old. Rashness is the error of youth, timid caution of age. Manhood is the isthmus between the two extremes; the ripe and fertile season of action, when alone we can hope to find the head to contrive, united with the hand to execute.
Action | Age | Caution | Error | Hope | Little | Rashness | Trust | Youth |
He that sympathizes in all the happiness of others, perhaps himself enjoys the safest happiness; and he that is warned by the folly of others has perhaps attained the soundest wisdom.
If you want enemies, excel others; if you want friends, let others excel you.
Friends |
Those who have finished by making others think with them, have usually been those who began by daring to think with themselves.
There is this paradox in pride - it makes some men ridiculous, but prevents others from becoming so.