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

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

Like its politicians and its wars, society has the teenagers it deserves.

Appreciation | Art | Faith | Heart | Life | Life | Meaning | Means | Mind | People | Religion | Appreciation | Art |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

All your words are but to say: you are a woman, and your part is in the house. But... I can ride and wield blade, and I do not fear either pain or death.

Age | Books | Children | Dirty | Life | Life | Receive | Work |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

And still Meriadoc the hobbit stood there blinking through his tears, and no one spoke to him, indeed none seemed to heed him. He brushed away the tears, and stooped to pick up the green shield that Eowyn had given him, and he slung it at his back. Then he looked for his sword that he had let fall; for even as he struck his blow his arm was numbed, and now he could only use his left hand.

Choice | Government | Industry | Labor | Question | Work | Government | Leadership |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

And yet, Eomer, I say to you that she loves you more truly than me, for you she loves and knows; but in me she loves only a shadow and a thought: a hope of glory and great deeds, and lands far from the fields of Rohan.

Rights | Slavery | Work | World |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

But Sam turned to Bywater, and so came back up the Hill, as day was ending once more. And he went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap.

Good | Public | Work |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Death never comes at the right time, despite what mortals believe. Death always comes like a thief.

Nations | Object | Race | Spirit | Time |

Italian Proverbs

With patience you go beyond knowledge.

God | Harm | Ignorance | Power | Time | Truth | Will | Witness | God |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Aragorn looked at the pale stars, and at the moon, now sloping behind the western hills that enclosed the valley. 'This is a night as long as years', he said. 'How long will the day tarry?' 'Dawn is not far off', said Gamling, who had now climbed up beside him. 'But dawn will not help us, I fear' 'Yet dawn is ever the hope of men', said Aragorn.

Culture | Custom | Slavery | Wants | Work |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Courage will now be your best defense against the storm that is at hand-?that and such hope as I bring.

Love | People | Work |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Criticism - however valid or intellectually engaging - tends to get in the way of a writer who has anything personal to say. A tightrope walker may require practice, but if he starts a theory of equilibrium he will lose grace (and probably fall off).

Focus | Knowledge | Mind | Reason | Research | Unique | Work | Following |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.

Faith | People | Purpose | Purpose | Reading | Science | Thought | Time | Thought |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

Public opinion polls are rather like children in a garden, digging things up all the time to see how they're growing.

Action | Enough | Force | Law | Little | Time |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

We must beware the revenge of the starved senses, the embittered animal in its prison.

Father | Knowledge | Love | Time |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

All have their worth and each contributes to the worth of the others.

Nature | Technology | Time |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Back now to the mountain! cried Thorin. We have little time to lose. And little food to use! cried Bilbo, always practical on such points. In any case he felt that the adventure was, properly speaking, over with the death of the dragon.

Example | Gold | Industry | Slavery | Work |

Italian Proverbs

With art and knavery we live through half the year; with knavery and art we live through the other.

Generosity | Selfishness | Time | Unkindness |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

As you go down the water,? he said, ?you will find that the trees will fail, and you will come to a barren country. There the River flows in stony vales amid high moors, until at last after many leagues it comes to the tall island of the Tindrock, that we call Tol Brandir. There it casts its arms about the steep shores of the isle, and falls then with a great noise and smoke over the cataracts of Rauros down into the Nindalf, the Wetwang as it is called in your tongue. That is a wide region of sluggish fen where the stream becomes tortuous and much divided. There the Entwash flows in by many mouths from the Forest of Fangorn in the west. About that stream, on this side of the Great River, lies Rohan. On the further side are the bleak hills of the Emyn Muil. The wind blows from the East there, for they look out over the Dead Marshes and the Noman-lands to Cirith Gorgor and the black gates of Mordor.

Care | Good | Government | Happy | Money | Work | Government |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

If you are a genius, you'll make your own rules, but if not - and the odds are against it - go to your desk no matter what your mood, face the icy challenge of the paper - write.

God | Ideas | Learning | Time | God | Learn |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old, there is no respect for age, I missed it coming and going.

Little | Time |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

At least for a while the road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.

Change | Children | Controversy | Labor | Public | Work | Worry | Child | Learn |