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

Francis A. P. Aveling

The really happy man never laughs or seldom though he may smile. He does not need to laugh, for laughter, like weeping, is a relief of mental tension and the happy are not over-strung.

Happy | Laughter | Man | Need | Smile | Wisdom |

Ralph Waldo Trine

One need remain in hell no longer than he chooses to; and the moment he chooses not to remain longer, not all the powers in the universe can prevent his leaving it. One can rise to any heaven he himself chooses; and when he chooses so to rise, all the higher powers of the universe combine to help him heavenward.

Character | Heaven | Hell | Need | Universe |

Stephen Samuel Wise

Sharing is the great and imperative need of our time. An unshared life is not living. He who shares does not lessen but greatens his life, especially if sharing be done not formally nor conventionally, but rather with such heartiness as springs out of an understanding of the meaning of the religion of sharing.

Character | Life | Life | Meaning | Need | Religion | Time | Understanding |

Margaret Young, born Margaret Youngblood

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

Character | Money | Need | Order | People | Will |

Carl Maria von Weber, fully Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst, Freiherr (Baron) von Weber

Delude not yourself with the notion that you may be untrue and uncertain in trifles and in important things the contrary. Trifles make up existence, and give the observer the measure by which to trust; and the fearful power of habit, after a time, suffers not the best will to ripen into action.

Action | Character | Existence | Habit | Important | Power | Time | Trifles | Trust | Will |

Richard Whately

The power of duly appreciating little things belongs to a great mind; a narrow-minded man has it not, for to him they are great things.

Character | Little | Man | Mind | Power |

Marcus Aurelius, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus

Philosophy... consists in keeping the demon within a man free from violence and unharmed, superior to pains and pleasures, doing nothing without a purpose, nor feeling the need of another man’s doing or not doing anything; and besides, accepting all that happens, and all that is allotted, as coming from thence, wherever it is, from whence he himself came; and, finally, waiting for death with a cheerful mind.

Death | Man | Mind | Need | Nothing | Philosophy | Purpose | Purpose | Waiting | Wisdom |

Carl Maria von Weber, fully Carl Maria Fredrich Ernst von Weber

Delude not yourself with the notion that you may be untrue and uncertain in trifles and in important things the contrary. Trifles make up existence, and give the measure by which to try us; and the fearful power of habit, after a time, suffers not the best will to ripen into action.

Action | Character | Existence | Habit | Important | Power | Time | Trifles | Will |

John Wicker

The man who works need never be a problem to anyone. Opportunities multiply as they are seized; they die when neglected. Life is a long line of opportunities. Wealth is not in making money, but in making the man while he is making money. Production, not destruction, leads to success.

Character | Life | Life | Man | Money | Need | Success | Wealth |

W. H. Auden, fully Wystan Hugh Auden

Machines are beneficial to the degree that they eliminate the need for labor, harmful to the degree that they eliminate the need for skill.

Labor | Machines | Need | Skill | Wisdom |

Ashtavakra NULL

The phenomenal world is like an empty jar (enclosing Space, which nevertheless is boundless). Thus known, phenomenality need be neither renounced, accepted, nor destroyed.

Need | Space | Wisdom | World |

Ralph Waldo Trine

There are many who are living far below their possibilities because they are continually handing over their individualities to others. Do you want to be a power in the world? Then be yourself. Be true to the highest wisdom within your soul and then allow yourself to be governed by no customs or conventionalities or arbitrary man-made rules that are not founded on principle.

Character | Man | Power | Soul | Wisdom | World |

Daniel Webster

Employment gives health, sobriety, and morals. Constant employment and well-paid labor produce in a country like ours, general prosperity, content and cheerfulness.

Character | Cheerfulness | Health | Labor | Prosperity |

Edwin Percy Whipple

The saddest failures in life are those that come from the not putting forth of power and will to succeed.

Character | Life | Life | Power | Will |

Vittorio Alfieri

Elegance of language may not be in the power of all of us; but simplicity and straight forwardness are. Write much as you would speak; speak as you think. If with your inferior, speak no coarser than usual; if with your superiors, no finer. Be what you say; and, within the rules of prudence, say what you are.

Elegance | Language | Power | Prudence | Prudence | Simplicity | Wisdom |

Saint Augustine, aka Augustine of Hippo, St. Austin, Bishop of Hippo NULL

When one has this intelligent self-love is commanded to love his neighbor as himself, what else is enjoined than that he shall do all in his power to commend to him the love of God? This is the worship of God, this is true religion, this right piety, this the service due to God only.

God | Love | Piety | Power | Religion | Right | Self | Self-love | Service | Wisdom | Worship | God |