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

Saint Isaac of Nineveh, also Isaac the Syrian, Isaac of Qatar and Isaac Syrus NULL

The passions are like dogs accustomed to lick blood in butchers' shops. When these are barred from what their habit feeds on, they stand in front of the doors and howl until the force of their previous custom is spent.

God | Man | Wise | Wishes | World | God |

Saint Thomas Aquinas, aka Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis or Doctor Universalis

Action should be something added to the life of prayer, not something taken away from it. [Paraphrase]

Art | Beginning | Control | Ends | Lord | Man | Object | Order | Practice | Wise | Art |

Saint Thomas Aquinas, aka Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis or Doctor Universalis

Everything I have written seems like straw by comparison with what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.

Conscience | Evil | Judgment | Right | Wise |

Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron

Knowledge indeed leads to deeds, and deeds separate the soul from the contraries which harm it…In every way, knowledge and deeds liberate the soul from the captivity of nature and purge it of its darkness and obscurity, and in this way the soul returns to its higher world.

Men | Wise |

Samuel Adams

The Constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.

Aid | Knowledge | People | Principles | Sense | Surrender | Virtue | Virtue | Will | Wise |

Samuel Adams

He who is void of virtuous attachments in private life is, or very soon will be, void of all regard for his country. There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying his country, who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his private connections.

Control | Esteem | Fidelity | Friend | Influence | Justice | Liberty | Man | Men | Nothing | Office | Power | Restraint | Time | Trust | Will | Wise |

Samuel Butler

Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of some sense to know how to lie well.

Man | Wise |

Samuel Adams

Let us contemplate our forefathers, and posterity, and resolve to maintain the rights bequeathed to us from the former, for the sake of the latter. The necessity of the times, more than ever, calls for our utmost circumspection, deliberation, fortitude and perseverance. Let us remember that if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom, it is a very serious consideration ... that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers of the event.

Art | Government | Little | Love | Men | Practice | Self | Wise | Youth | Government | Youth | Art |

Samuel Butler

But still his tongue ran on, the less Of weight it bore, with greater ease.

Wise |

Samuel Daniel

These are the arks, the trophies, I erect, that fortify thy name against old age; and these thy sacred virtues must protect against the dark and Times consuming rage.

Wise |

Samuel Butler

It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all.

Music | Wise |

Samuel Gompers

We ask for State legislation, and we are told to go to the Federal Government; we come to the Federal Government and it is contended that these things rightfully belong to the States. It does not make a particle of difference. If we come here to the Federal Government and ask for remedial legislation, we are told that these things will come when they become a custom, and not by legislation. And then we go to employers, to their companies, and ask them to confer with us in order to inaugurate that custom, and they tell us, If you do not get out of here we will put a boot in the place where it will feel uncomfortable. If we strike or ask that the matter be submitted to arbitration, we are told there is nothing to arbitrate. If we strike in order to enforce what we believe to be our rights, we are enjoined; and if we exercise what we believe to be our rights in spite of the injunction, we are guilty of contempt of court and are put in the jug during his honor's pleasure. There is not anywhere we can go for the purpose of trying to bring about some remedy, some change, some improvement but we are met by the same opposition, prompted by the same cause, prompted by the same motive, and that is to leave the workingman helpless to the mercy of the employing class. I think, though, I may say that that time has gone by. The workingmen of our country have learned somewhat of their rights, and they propose to stand by them, and they have the courage to do so, too.

Good | Hope | Patriotism | Struggle | War | Wise |

Samuel Johnson, aka Doctor Johnson

A woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all.

Haste | Man | Will | Wise | Value |

Samuel Johnson, aka Doctor Johnson

A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain.

Man | Wise |

Samuel Johnson, aka Doctor Johnson

He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others.

Man | Will | Wise |

Samuel Johnson, aka Doctor Johnson

Every other author may aspire to praise; the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach.

Man | Wise | Wishes |

Samuel Johnson, aka Doctor Johnson

I would not give half a guinea to live under one form of government other than another. It is of no moment to the happiness of an individual.

Age | Care | Childhood | Children | Danger | Treachery | Wife | Wise | Danger | Friends |

Samuel Johnson, aka Doctor Johnson

Men know that woman are an overmatch for them, and therefore they choose the weakest or the most ignorant. If they did not think so, they never could be afraid of women knowing as much as themselves.

Wise |

Samuel Johnson, aka Doctor Johnson

No member of a society has a right to teach any doctrine contrary to what society holds to be true.

Man | Wise | Happiness |