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

Italian Proverbs

One enemy is too many, and a hundred friends are too few.

Mystery | Society | Society |

Italian Proverbs

War makes robbers, and peace hangs them.

Authenticity | Good | Life | Life | Meaning | Means | Mystery | Thought | Worth | Thought |

Italian Proverbs

Who by himself can do anything, do not wait for others to do.

Commitment | Good | Means | Mystery | Object | Religion |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

At first the beauty of the melodies and of the interwoven words in elven-tongues, even though he understood them little, held him in a spell, as soon as as he began to attend to them. Almost it seemed that the words took shape, and visions of far lands and bright things that he had never yet imagined opened out before him; and the firelit hall became like a golden mist above the seas of foam that sighed upon the margins of the world. Then the enchantment became more and more dreamlike, until he felt that an endless river of swelling gold and silver was flowing over him, too multitudinous for its pattern to be comprehended; it became part of the throbbing air about him, and it drenched and drowned him. swiftly he sank under its shining weight into a deep realm of sleep.

Abuse | Experience | Life | Life | Little | Means | Men | Problems | Suicide | Trust | Work | World | Learn |

J. L. Balsford

Pray not too often for great favors, for we stand most in need of small ones.

Inspiration | Little | Mystery | Research | Work | World |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

A hunted man sometimes wearies of distrust and longs for friendship.

Mystery |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

I never read the life of any important person without discovering that he knew more and could do more than I could ever hope to know or do in half a dozen lifetimes.

Force | Life | Life | Loyalty | Loyalty | Mind | Trust | Think |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

I shall have to go. But- and here Frodo looked hard at Sam- if you really care about me, you will have to keep that DEAD secret. See? If you don't, if you even breathe a word of what you've heard here, then I hope Gandalf will turn you into a spotted toad and fill the garden full of grass snakes. Sam fell on his knees, trembling. Get up, Sam! Said Gandalf. I have thought of something better than that. Something to keep you quiet, and punish you properly for listening. You shall go away with Mr. Frodo! Me, sir! cried Sam, springing up like a dog invited for a walk. Me go and see Elves and all! Hooray! he shouted, and then burst into tears.

God | Mystery | God |