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

Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, aka Lord Clarendon

Envy is a week that grows in all soils and climates, and is no less luxuriant in the country than in the court; is not confined to any rank of men or extent of fortune, but rages in the breasts of all degrees.

Character | Envy | Fortune | Men | Rank |

Pierre Cornielle

In a noble soul, merit alone should light the flame of love.

Character | Light | Love | Merit | Soul | Wisdom |

Charles de Saint-Évremond, fully Charles Marguetel de Saint-Denis, seigneur de Évremond

Reputation is rarely proportioned to virtue. We have seen a thousand people esteemed, either for the merit they had not yet attained or for that they no longer possessed.

Character | Merit | People | Reputation | Virtue | Virtue |

Henry Fielding

Though we may sometimes unintentionally bestow our beneficence on the unworthy, it does not take from the merit of the act. For charity doth not adopt the vices of its objects.

Character | Charity | Merit |

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Confronted by outstanding merit in another, there is no way of saving one's ego except by love.

Character | Ego | Love | Merit |

Aaron Hill

There is no merit where there is no trial; and, till experience stamps the mark of strength, cowards may pass for heroes, faith for falsehood.

Character | Experience | Faith | Falsehood | Merit | Strength |

Harry Graham, Fully Jocelyn Henry Clive 'Harry' Graham

Though the noblest disposition you inherit, And your character with piety is pack'd, All such qualities have very little merit unaccompanied by Tact.

Character | Little | Merit | Piety | Qualities | Tact |

Robert Hall

The best ground untilled, soonest runs out into rank weeds. A man of knowledge that is negligent or uncorrected, cannot but grow wild and godless.

Character | Knowledge | Man | Rank |

Claude-Adrien Helvétius

To be loved, we should merit but little esteem; all superiority attracts awe and aversion.

Awe | Character | Esteem | Little | Merit | Superiority |

Juvenal, fully Decimus Junius Juvenalis NULL

Every error of the mind is the more conspicuous and culpable in proportion to the rank of the person who commits it.

Character | Error | Mind | Rank |

Juvenal, fully Decimus Junius Juvenalis NULL

"Every fault of the mind becomes more conspicuous and more guilty in proportion to the rank of the offender" - Persons in high station are not only answerable for their own conduct, but for the example they may hold out to others. This, joined to their advantages of education, aggravates their vices and loads them with a greater share of responsibility.

Character | Conduct | Education | Example | Fault | Mind | Rank | Responsibility | Fault | Guilty |

Alexander Pope

Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Character | Merit | Soul | Wisdom |

William Morley Punshon

There are difficulties in your path. Be thankful for them. They will test your capabilities of resistance; you will be impelled to persevere from the very energy of the opposition. But what of him that fails? What does he gain? Strength for life. The real merit is not in the success but in the endeavor; and win or lose, he will be honored and crowned.

Character | Energy | Life | Life | Merit | Opposition | Strength | Success | Will |

Samuel Smiles

The crown and glory of life is character. It is the noblest possession of a man, constituting a rank in itself, and estate in the general good will; dignifying every station, and exacting every position in society. It exercises a greater power than wealth and secures all the honor without the jealousies of fame. It carries with it an influence which always tells; for it is the result of proved honor, rectitude and consistency - qualities which, perhaps more than any others, command the general confidence and respect of mankind.

Character | Confidence | Consistency | Fame | Glory | Good | Honor | Influence | Life | Life | Man | Mankind | Position | Power | Qualities | Rank | Respect | Society | Wealth | Will | Respect |

Moshe Schwab

When we pray, we should feel the seriousness of speaking directly to the Almighty. The concept of seriousness should not be mistaken for sadness since sadness is a transgression. Seriousness should stem from the true joy of fulfilling a mitzvah [biblical law or good deed], the joy of having the merit to pray to the Almighty.

Character | Good | Joy | Law | Merit | Sadness |

Yorah Daiah

It is especially important to express your feelings of joy when giving charity to a poor person. Show the person you are glad to be able to help him out. Showing displeasure giving charity erases the merit of giving.

Character | Charity | Feelings | Giving | Important | Joy | Merit |