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

W. H. Auden, fully Wystan Hugh Auden

It is a sad fact about our culture that a poet can earn much more money writing or talking about his art than he can by practicing it.

Art | Character | Culture | Money | Talking | Writing | Art |

Gilbert Burnet

That is not the best sermon which makes the hearers go away talking to one another, and praising the speaker, but which makes them go away thoughtful and serious, and hastening to be alone.

Character | Talking |

Samuel Butler

Conscience is thoroughly well bred and soon leaves off talking to those who do not wish to hear it.

Character | Conscience | Talking |

Samuel Griswold Goodrich, better known by pseudonymn Peter Parley

Moral courage is a virtue of higher cast and nobler origin than physical. It springs from a consciousness of virtue and renders a man, in the pursuit or defense of right, superior to the fear of reproach, opposition in contempt.

Character | Consciousness | Contempt | Courage | Defense | Fear | Man | Opposition | Right | Virtue | Virtue |

Phillips Brooks

Go and try to save a soul, and you will see how well it is worth saving, how capable it is of the most complete salvation. Not by pondering about it, nor by talking of it, but by saving it, you learn its preciousness.

Salvation | Soul | Talking | Will | Wisdom | Worth | Learn |

Elizabeth Bowen, Full name Elizabeth Dorothea Cole Bowen

There is no end to the violations committed by children on children, quietly talking alone.

Children | Talking | Wisdom |

William Ellery Channing

The world is governed much more by opinion than by laws. It is not the judgment of courts, but the moral judgment of individuals and masses of men, which is the chief wall of defense around property and life. With the progress of society, this power of opinion is taking the place of arms.

Defense | Judgment | Life | Life | Men | Opinion | Power | Progress | Property | Society | Wisdom | World |

Edward Coke, fully Sir Edward Coke

The house of every man is his castle, and if thieves come to a man’s house to rob or murder, and the owner or his servants kill any of the thieves in defense of himself and his house, it is no felony and he lose nothing.

Defense | Kill | Man | Murder | Nothing | Wisdom |

Edward Cooke

The home of everyone is to him his castle and fortress, as well for his defense against injury and violence, as for his repose.

Defense | Repose | Wisdom |

William Cowper

Words learned by rote a parrot may rehearse; but talking is not always to converse, not more distinct from harmony divine, the constant creaking of a country sign.

Harmony | Talking | Wisdom | Words |

Thomas Dreier

When you talk about your troubles, your ailments, your diseases, your hurts, you give longer life to what makes you unhappy. Talking about your grievances merely adds to those grievances. Give recognition only to what you desire. Think and talk only about the good things that add to your enjoyment of your work and life. If you don't talk about your grievances, you'll be delighted to find them disappearing quickly.

Desire | Enjoyment | Good | Life | Life | Talking | Troubles | Wisdom | Work | Think |

Henry Ford

What causes war is not patriotism, not that human beings are willing to die in defense of their dearest ones. It is the false doctrine, fostered by the few, that war spells gain.

Defense | Doctrine | Patriotism | War | Wisdom |

Brendan Francis Behan

The friendships that last are those wherein each friend respects the other's dignity. Every man ought to be friend with a nun and a whore and while talking with them forget which is which.

Dignity | Friend | Man | Talking | Wisdom |

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

People are always talking about originality; but what do they mean? As soon as we are born, the world begins to work on us; and this goes on to the end. And after all, what can we call our own, except energy, strength, and will. If I could give an account of all that I owe to great predecessors and contemporaries there would be but a small balance in my favor.

Balance | Energy | Originality | People | Strength | Talking | Will | Wisdom | Work | World |

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Whenever I hear people talking about "liberal ideas," I am always astounded that men should love to fool themselves with empty sounds. An idea should never be liberal; it must be vigorous, positive, and without loose ends so that it may fulfill its divine mission and be productive. The proper place for liberality is in the realm of the emotions.

Emotions | Ends | Ideas | Love | Men | Mission | People | Talking | Wisdom |