Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Art

"The artist is always beginning. Any work of art which is not a beginning, an invention, a discovery is of little worth." - Ezra Pound, fully Ezra Weston Loomis Pound

"The author's conviction on this day of New Year is that music begins to atrophy when it departs too far from the dance; that poetry begins to atrophy when it gets too far from music; but this must not be taken as implying that all good music is dance music or all poetry lyric. Bach and Mozart are never too far from physical movement." - Ezra Pound, fully Ezra Weston Loomis Pound

"We call him a hero who maintains himself, single-handed, against superior numbers. We call him a master-horseman who sits a fiery and vicious steed, guiding him at will. And in like manner, we call him a moral hero who conquers the enemies within his own breast — and we admire and revere the soul which can ride its own passions and force them into obedience to the dictates of reason." - Felix Adler

"Hymn of Hate, with Coda: If I hate any class of man in this world, it is evangelical Christians, with their bellicose stupidity, their childish belief in devils, their barbarous hoofing of all beauty, dignity, and decency. But even evangelical Christians I do not hate when I see their wives." - H. L. Mencken, fully Henry Louis Mencken

"I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war upon liberty and the democratic form is as bad as any of the other forms." - H. L. Mencken, fully Henry Louis Mencken

"Never refuse a good offer." - Italian Proverbs

"No one ever became poor through giving alms." - Italian Proverbs

"No one ever kicks a dead dog." - Italian Proverbs

"The applause of the people is a blast of air." - Italian Proverbs

"The devil is bad because he is old." - Italian Proverbs

"The dying cannot leave their wisdom or experience to their heirs." - Italian Proverbs

"During dinner at the Dersinghams in Angel Pavement... Do you ever watch rugger, Golspie? Mr Dersingham demanded down the table. What, rugby? Haven't see a match for years, replied Mr Golspie. Prefer the other kind when I do watch one. Major Trape raised his eyebrows, What, you a soccah man? Not this professional stuff? Don't tell me you like that. What's the matter with it? Oh, come now! I mean, you can't possibly --I mean it's a dirty business, selling fellahs for money and so on, very unsporting." - J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

"Like its politicians and its wars, society has the teenagers it deserves." - J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

"I stand in Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun; and behold! the Shadow has departed! I will be a Shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren." - J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

"The artist is always beginning. Any work of art which is not a beginning, an invention, a discovery is of little worth." - Ezra Pound, fully Ezra Weston Loomis Pound

"The author's conviction on this day of New Year is that music begins to atrophy when it departs too far from the dance; that poetry begins to atrophy when it gets too far from music; but this must not be taken as implying that all good music is dance music or all poetry lyric. Bach and Mozart are never too far from physical movement." - Ezra Pound, fully Ezra Weston Loomis Pound

"We call him a hero who maintains himself, single-handed, against superior numbers. We call him a master-horseman who sits a fiery and vicious steed, guiding him at will. And in like manner, we call him a moral hero who conquers the enemies within his own breast — and we admire and revere the soul which can ride its own passions and force them into obedience to the dictates of reason." - Felix Adler

"Hymn of Hate, with Coda: If I hate any class of man in this world, it is evangelical Christians, with their bellicose stupidity, their childish belief in devils, their barbarous hoofing of all beauty, dignity, and decency. But even evangelical Christians I do not hate when I see their wives." - H. L. Mencken, fully Henry Louis Mencken

"I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war upon liberty and the democratic form is as bad as any of the other forms." - H. L. Mencken, fully Henry Louis Mencken

"Never refuse a good offer." - Italian Proverbs

"No one ever became poor through giving alms." - Italian Proverbs

"No one ever kicks a dead dog." - Italian Proverbs

"The applause of the people is a blast of air." - Italian Proverbs

"The devil is bad because he is old." - Italian Proverbs

"The dying cannot leave their wisdom or experience to their heirs." - Italian Proverbs

"During dinner at the Dersinghams in Angel Pavement... Do you ever watch rugger, Golspie? Mr Dersingham demanded down the table. What, rugby? Haven't see a match for years, replied Mr Golspie. Prefer the other kind when I do watch one. Major Trape raised his eyebrows, What, you a soccah man? Not this professional stuff? Don't tell me you like that. What's the matter with it? Oh, come now! I mean, you can't possibly --I mean it's a dirty business, selling fellahs for money and so on, very unsporting." - J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

"Like its politicians and its wars, society has the teenagers it deserves." - J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

"I stand in Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun; and behold! the Shadow has departed! I will be a Shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren." - J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien