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

Heinrich Heine

The men of action are, after all, only the unconscious instruments of the men of thought.

Action | Men | Thought | Wisdom |

Arianna Huffington, born Arianna Stassinopoulos

Lasting social change unfolds from inside out: from the inner to the outer being, from inner to outer realities.

Change | Wisdom |

Paul G. Hoffman, fully Paul Gray Hoffman

It is a deep-seated belief on the part of almost all Americans that their success will be better assured as they help to build the success of others.

Belief | Better | Success | Will | Wisdom |

Thomas Hughes

If we look abroad upon the great multitude of mankind, and endeavor to trace out the principles of action in every individual, it will, I think, seem highly probably that ambition runs through the whole species, and that every man, in proportion to the vigor of his complexion, is more or less actuated by it.

Action | Ambition | Individual | Man | Mankind | Principles | Will | Wisdom | Ambition |

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a God, but never without belief in a devil.

Belief | Devil | God | Wisdom |

David Hume

Mankind are so much the same, in all times and places, that history informs us of nothing new or strange in this particular. Its chief use is only to discover the constant and universal principles of human nature, by showing men in all varieties of circumstances and situations, and furnishing us with materials from which we may form our observations and become acquainted with the regular springs of human action and behavior.

Action | Behavior | Circumstances | History | Human nature | Mankind | Men | Nature | Nothing | Principles | Wisdom |

Arianna Huffington, born Arianna Stassinopoulos

Things as they are are changed when we demonstrate a new reality. A very small change in perception can result in a change in behavior and, cumulatively, in a very large change in cultural patterns. Our purpose and destiny are encoded within us. But they do not automatically propel us to the next act in our day, let alone the next stage in our evolution. Our Fourth Instinct allows us to see that next stage, and our free will enables us to act on it so that it can become a reality.

Behavior | Change | Day | Destiny | Evolution | Free will | Instinct | Perception | Purpose | Purpose | Reality | Will | Wisdom |

Richard and Mary-Alice Jafolla

“Do you want to be healed?” translates into “Do you want to exorcise your belief in and expectation of illness?

Belief | Expectation | Wisdom | Expectation |

Herbert Hoover, fully Herbert Clark Hoover

History is a story of growth, decay and change. If no provision, no allowance is made for change by peaceful means, it will come anyway - and with violence.

Change | Growth | History | Means | Story | Will | Wisdom |

Herbert Hoover, fully Herbert Clark Hoover

Economic depression cannot be cured by legislative action or executive pronouncement. Economic wounds must be healed by the action of the cells of the economic body, the producers and consumers themselves.

Action | Body | Depression | Wisdom |

David Hume

It is harder to avoid censure than to gain applause; for this may be done by one great or wise action in an age. But to escape censure a man must pass his whole life without saying or doing one ill or foolish thing.

Action | Age | Applause | Censure | Life | Life | Man | Wisdom | Wise |

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Faith always implies the disbelief of a lesser fact in favor of a greater. A little mind often sees the unbelief, without seeing the belief of a large one.

Belief | Disbelief | Faith | Little | Mind | Unbelief | Wisdom |

Richard Hooker

Reason is the director of man's will, discovering in action what is good, for the laws of well-doing are the dictates of right reason.

Action | Good | Man | Reason | Right | Will | Wisdom |

Horace, full name Quintus Horatius Flaccus NULL

They change their sky not their mind who cross the sea. A busy idleness possesses us: we seek a happy life, with ships and carriages: the object of our search is present with us.

Change | Happy | Idleness | Life | Life | Mind | Object | Present | Search | Wisdom |

Richard and Mary-Alice Jafolla

A change in belief patterns takes place on the most basic level of existence.

Belief | Change | Existence | Wisdom |

Ted Kennedy, fully Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy

It strains belief to know that Neil Armstrong can walk on the moon, 250,000 miles away, but that he cannot swim in Lake Erie, a few miles from his Ohio home.

Belief | Wisdom |

Thomas Jefferson

Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times.

Change | Circumstances | Manners | Mind | Progress | Wisdom | Truths |

William James

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help you create the fact.

Belief | Life | Life | Will | Wisdom | Worth |