Great Throughts Treasury

"We may be confident whatever God does is intended for our good, and whatever we interpret otherwise we can get nothing by repining, nor save anything by resisting."

"What great thing soever a man proposed to do in his life, he should think of achieving it by fifty."

"What is called by the poets apathy or dispassion, by the sceptics indisturbance, by the Molinists quietism, by common men peace of conscience, seems all to mean but great tranquility of mind."

"When all is done, human life is, at the greatest and the best, but like a froward child, that must be played with and humored a little to keep it quiet till it falls asleep, and then the care is over."

"When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't, they don't."

"Who ever converses among old books will be hard to please among the new."

"Who would not be covetous, and with reason, if health could be purchased with gold? Who not ambitious, if it were at the command of power, or restored by honor? But, alas! a white staff will not help gouty feet to walk better than a common cane; nor a blue ribbon bind up a wound so well as a fillet; the glitter of gold or of diamonds will but hurt sore eyes, instead of curing them; and an aching head will be no more eased by wearing a crown instead of a common night-cap."

"Wisdom is that which makes men judge what are the best ends, and what the best means to attain them, and gives a man advantage of counsel and direction."

"You may keep your beauty and your health, unless you destroy them yourself, or discourage them to stay with you, by using them ill."