This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Pythagoras, aka Pythagoras of Samos or Pythagoras the Samian NULL
It is better either to be silent or to say things of more value than silence. Sooner throw a pearl at hazard than an idle or useless word; and do not say a little in many words but a great deal in a few.
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words and tomorrow speak what tomorrow things in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today - "Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood."-Is is to bad then to be misunderstood... to be great is to be misunderstood.
Consistency | Little | Nothing | Soul | Tomorrow | Words | Think |
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds… Speak what you think now in hard words; and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said today.
Consistency | Little | Tomorrow | Words | Think |
Though the origin of most of our words is forgotten, each word was a first a stroke of genius, and obtained currency because for the moment it symbolized the world to the first speaker and to the hearer. The etymologist finds the deadest word to have been once a brilliant picture. Language is fossil poetry.
All history becomes subjective; in other words there is properly no history, only biography.
Speak what you think today in words as hard as cannon balls, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said today.
Speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon-balls and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day.
We are shut up in schools and college recitation rooms for ten or fifteen years, and come out at last with a bellyful of words and do not know a thing.
Words |
Saint Gregory, aka Pope Gregory I, St. Gregory the Dialogist, "Gregory the Great" NULL
He is not wise to me who is wise in words only, but he who is wise in deeds.
In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on.
What we do get in life and miss so often in literature is the sentence sounds that underlie the words. Words in themselves do not convey meaning.
Life | Life | Literature | Meaning | Words |
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
The exhortation of the wise, unaccompanied by practice, falls on the heart as rain on stone; and he whose words are at variance with his deeds disgraces himself; hence, words which come not from the heart can never penetrate the ear.
Ronald Reagan, fully Ronald Wilson Reagan
The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: `I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’
Government | Language | Words |
Robert Fulghum, fully Robert Lee Fulghum
Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts.
Walter Raleigh, fully Sir Walter Raleigh
Speaking much is a sign of vanity; for he that is lavish in words is a niggard in deed.
Words |
False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.