This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Virginia Woolf, nee Stephen, fully Adeline Virginia Woolf
With stars in her eyes and veils in her hair, with cyclamen and wild violets—what nonsense was he thinking? She was fifty at least: she had eight children. Stepping through fields of flowers and taking to her breast buds that had broken and lambs that had fallen: with the stars in her eyes and the wind in her hair—He took her bag.
Virginia Woolf, nee Stephen, fully Adeline Virginia Woolf
The clock ticks. The two hands are convoys marching through a desert. The black bars on the clock face are green oases. The long hand has marched ahead to find water. The other, painfully stumbles among hot stones in the desert. It will die in the desert.
Beauty | Freedom | Heart | Power | Universe | World | Beauty |
François-René de Chateaubriand, fully François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand
I have borne the musket of a soldier, the traveler’s cane, and the pilgrim’s staff: as a sailor my fate has been as inconstant as the wind: a kingfisher, I have made my nest among the waves. I have been party to peace and war: I have signed treaties, protocols, and along the way published numerous works. I have been made privy to party secrets, of court and state: I have viewed closely the rarest disasters, the greatest good fortune, the highest reputations. I have been present at sieges, congresses, conclaves, at the restoration and demolition of thrones. I have made history, and been able to write it. ... Within and alongside my age, perhaps without wishing or seeking to, I have exerted upon it a triple influence, religious, political and literary.
François-René de Chateaubriand, fully François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand
Religion assures us that our afflictions shall have an end; she comforts us, she dries our tears, she promises us another life. On the contrary, in the abominable worship of atheism, human woes are the incense, death is the priest, a coffin the altar, and annihilation the Deity.
Genius | Happy | Revolution | Taste |
François-René de Chateaubriand, fully François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand
It is necessary to repent for years in order to efface a fault in the eyes of men; a single tear suffices with God.
The Utopia that grows impatient and turns into riot knows what awaits her; almost always she is too soon. Then she resigns herself and stoically accepts, instead of triumph, catastrophe.
Universe |
Viktor Frankl, fully Viktor Emil Frankl
In front of me a man stumbled and those following him fell on top of him. The guard rushed over and used his whip on them all. Thus my thoughts were interrupted for a few minutes. But soon my soul found its way back from the prisoners existence to another world, and I resumed talk with my loved one: I asked her questions, and she answered; she questioned me in return, and I answered...
The Divine Light has dawned, and everything is illuminated; the Guru has revealed this spiritual wisdom to my mind.
Do and dedicate, work and worship, plant and protect; but do not worry about the fruit; that is the secret of spiritual success.
Society cannot progress unless each citizen make his contribution and performs his duties.
The One who created the thing, understands it; He has fashioned all of this.
When we get compliments for our good works we naturally feel elated and happy. On the contrary listening to evil thoughts make us skeptical and confused.