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

Alan Christopher Warren

There are not so many lessons in glad times. Adversity is by far the better teacher. Adversity will be a part of almost all our lives. So it is not in escaping adversity, but in answering it, that our character is defined.

Adversity | Better | Character | Will |

William H. Whyte, Jr., fully William Hollingsworth "Holly" Whyte

A sense of “belonging,” a sense of meaningful association with others, has never required that one sacrifice his individuality as part of the bargain. Why, then, do so many rush to embrace a philosophy which tells them it is necessary.

Association | Individuality | Philosophy | Sacrifice | Sense | Association |

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A talent is formed in stillness, a character in the world's torrent.

Character | World | Talent |

Alan Morton Dershowitz

In deciding what course of action is moral, you should act as if there were no God. You should act as if there were no threat of earthly punishment or reward. You should be a person of good character because it is right to be such a person.

Action | Character | God | Good | Punishment | Reward | Right |

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The formation of one’s character ought to be everyone’s chief aim.

Character |

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

There is nothing in which people more betray their character than in what they laugh at.

Character | Nothing | People |

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Men show their character in nothing more clearly than by what they think laughable.

Character | Men | Nothing | Think |

Nancy Moser, born Nancy Etta Lynette Jeffrey

Characters live to be noticed. People with character notice how they live.

Character | People |

Abraham Lincoln

Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.

Ability | Character |

Mary Ann Kelty

Small kindnesses, small courtesies, small considerations, habitually practiced in our social intercourse, give a greater charm to the character than the display of great talents and accomplishments.

Character | Display |

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.

Character | Education | Intelligence |

Edward A. Wynne

In general the character tradition assumes that institutions such as families, schools, and long-lived organizations will act more wisely than individuals and also that individuals who have lived through a variety of experiences have learned things that many young people do not yet know.

Character | People | Tradition | Will |