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

Russell Kirk

Prejudice is not bigotry or superstition, although prejudice sometimes may degenerate into these. Prejudice is pre-judgment, the answer with which intuition and ancestral consensus of opinion supply a man when he lacks either time or knowledge to arrive at a decision predicated upon pure reason.

Belief | Consequences | World |

Russian Proverbs

As you make your bed, so you will sleep. (A person must take the responsibility for the results of his own unwise actions; just as a man who makes his bed badly will certainly sleep uncomfortably.)

Consequences |

Russell Kirk

If a man has a *right* to marry, some woman must have the duty of marrying him; if a man has a *right* to rest, some other person must have the duty of supporting him. If rights are confused thus with desires, the mass of men must feel always that some vast, intangible conspiracy thwarts their attainment of what they are told is their inalienable birthright.

Ideas | Order | Tradition | Will | Understand |

Russian Proverbs

The horses of hope gallop, but the asses of experience go slowly.

Sam Shoemaker, fully Samuel "Sam" Moor Shoemaker, III

Eternal life does not begin with death; it begins with faith.

God | Nothing | Will | Worth | God |

Rutherford B. Hayes, fully Rutherford Birchard Hayes

When the weather is bad as it was yesterday, everybody, almost everybody, feels cross and gloomy. Our thin linen tents, about like a fish seine, the deep mud, the irregular mails, the never to-be-seen paymasters, and "the rest of mankind," are growled about in "old-soldier" style. But a fine day like today has turned out brightens and cheers us all. We people in camp are merely big children, wayward and changeable.

Happy | Regret | Loss |

Saint Bonaventure, born John of Fidanza Bonaventure

Three things are necessary to everyone regardless of status, sex, or age, i.e., truth of faith which brings understanding; love of Christ which brings compassion; endurance of hope which brings perseverance. No adult is in state of salvation unless he has faithful understanding in his mind, loving compassion in his heart, and enduring perseverance in his actions.

Business | Deceit | Evil | God | People | Public | Business | God |

Saint Francis of Assisi, born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone NULL

Pause and reflect, for the day of death is approaching. I beg you, therefore, with all possible respect, not to forget the Lord or turn away from His commandments by reason of the cares and preoccupations of this world, for all those who are oblivious of Him and turn away from His commands are cursed and will be totally forgotten by Him (Ex. 33:13). And when the day of death does come, everything which they think they have will be taken from them. And the wiser and more powerful they may have been in this world, so much greater will be the punishments they will endure in hell (cf. Wis. 6:7)

Consequences |

Saint John of the Cross, born Juan de Yepes Álvarez NULL

How to being this journey: don’t pursue delights, and overcome temptations and difficulties; which equal the practice of self-knowledge.

Man | Prayer |

Saint John of the Cross, born Juan de Yepes Álvarez NULL

When he is brought to nothing, the highest degree of humility, the spiritual union between his soul and God will be effected. The journey does not consist on recreations, experiences and spiritual feelings, but in the living, sensory and spiritual, exterior and interior death of the cross.

Blessings | Lord | Means | Service | Soul | Trials | Troubles | Will |

John Chrysostom, fully Saint John Chrysostom

Although it be with truth that you speak evil, this is also a crime.

Consequences | Death | Dread | Judgment |

Sam Ervin, fully Samuel James "Sam" Ervin, Jr.

For too long the issue of government aid to church related organizations has been a divisive force in our society and in the Congress. It has erected communication barriers among our religions and fostered intolerance.

Consequences | Force | Men | Serenity | Strength |

Samuel Butler

As if religion was intended For nothing else but to be mended.

Consequences | Philosophy | Rule |

Samuel Butler

Is life worth living? This is a question for an embryo not for a man.

Consequences | Excess |

Samuel Butler

The worst of governments are always the most changeable, and cost the people dearest.

Character |

Samuel Gompers

The beasts of burden have their day of rest and recuperation and certainly what nature and nature's laws intended for them, can not be less so to civilized men.

Attention | Force | Greed | Hope | Imperialism | Justice | Means | Men | Need | People | Right | War |

Samuel Gompers

This is the attitude of the A. F. of L. on the color question. If a man or set of men array themselves for any cause against the interest of the workers their organizations have the right to say that their membership is barred. It should be at the wrong-doer against labor, it should not be a nationality or a race against whom the doors are barred.

Conspiracy | Effort | Improvement | Public | Purpose | Purpose | Right | Sentiment | Time |

Samuel Gompers

Freedom of speech is the safety valve of society; if it is obstructed, there will be an explosion somewhere. It is dangerous to tamper with this right of ours.

Consequences | Knowledge | Right | Will |

Samuel Johnson, aka Doctor Johnson

Every period of life is obliged to borrow its happiness from time to come.

Hope |