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

William Shakespeare

O God! that one might read the book of fate, And see the revolution of the times Make mountains level, and the continent, Weary of solid firmness, melt itself Into the sea!

Enemy | Men |

William Shakespeare

O my lord, Press not a falling man too far! 'Tis virtue His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him.

Business | Good | Lord | Men | Offense | Rights | Spirit | Woman | Business |

William Shakespeare

O, know, sweet love, I always write of you, And you and love are still my argument; So all my best is dressing old words new, Spending again what is already spent: For as the sun is daily new and old, So is my love still telling what is told.

Art | Men | Art |

William Shakespeare

Now if you can blush and cry guilty, cardinal you'll show a little honesty.

Men | Will |

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

What causes us to like new acquaintances is not so much weariness of our old ones, or the pleasure of change, as disgust at not being sufficiently admired by those who know us too well, and the hope of being admired more by those who do not know so much about us.

Gratitude | Men | Pride | Value |

William Shakespeare

O God, that one might read the book of fate, and see the revolution of the times make mountains level, and the continent, weary of solid firmness, melt itself into the sea.

Applause | Enemy | Men |

William Shakespeare

O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet! Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords in our own proper entrails.

Art | Judgment | Men | Art |

Dugald Stewart

Inclination is another word with which will is frequently confounded. Thus, when the apothecary says, in Romeo and Juliet,— “My poverty, but not my will, consents; Take this and drink it off; the work is done.” the word will is plainly used as synonymous with inclination; not in the strict logical sense, as the immediate antecedent of action. It is with the same latitude that the word is used in common conversation, when we think of doing a thing which duty prescribes, against one’s own will; or when we speak of doing a thing willingly or unwillingly.

Acquaintance | Attainment | Books | Correctness | Grace | Language | Lying | Men | Merit | Purity | Reading | Style | Taste | Writing |

William Shakespeare

O hateful hands, to tear such loving words! Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey, and kill the bees, that yield it, with your stings! I'll kiss each several paper for amends. Look, here is writ — kind Julia. — Unkind Julia! As in revenge of thy ingratitude, I throw thy name against the bruising stones, trampling contemptuously on thy disdain. And here is writ — love-wounded Proteus. Poor wounded name! My bosom, as a bed, shall lodge thee, till thy wound be thoroughly healed; and thus I search it with a sovereign kiss. But twice or thrice was Proteus written down. Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away, till I have found each letter in the letter, except mine own name: that some whirlwind bear unto a ragged, fearful, hanging rock, and throw it thence into the raging sea! Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ, — Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus, to the sweet Julia. That I'll tear away; and yet I will not, sith so prettily he couples it to his complaining names. Thus will I fold them one upon another, now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will. Two Gentlemen from Verona, Act i, Scene 2

Happy | Men | Mother |

William Shakespeare

O! while you live, tell truth, and shame the devil.

Knowing | Men |

William Shakespeare

O gentle lady, do not put me to't, for I am nothing if not critical.

Art | Hope | Men | Art |

William Shakespeare

Now the time is come, That France must veil her lofty-plumed crest, And let her head fall into England's lap.

Business | Constancy | God | Good | Melancholy | Men | Mind | Business | God |

William Shakespeare

O that men's ears should be to counsel deaf but not to flattery!

Enemy | Men |

William Shakespeare

O, call back yesterday, did time return, And thou shalt have twelve thousand fighting men! To-day, to-day, unhappy day too late, O'erthrows thy joys, friends, fortune, and thy state; For all the Welshmen, hearing thou wert dead, Are gone to Bolingbroke, dispersed, and fled.

Attention | Ends | Men | Music | Taste | Truth | Words | Youth | Youth |

William Shakespeare

O you mighty gods! This world I do renounce, and in your sights shake patiently my great affliction off. If I could bear it longer, and not fall to quarrel with your great opposeless wills, my snuff and loathed part of nature should burn itself out.

Example | Fear | Good | Kill | Madness | Man | Men | Trust | Wonder |