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

Atharva Veda, or Atharvaveda

The hypocritical and the greedy are struck down; the Messenger of Death punishes them with his club. O camel-like mind, you are my breath of life; rid yourself of the pollution of hypocrisy and doubt.

Family | Husband | Obligation |

Václav Havel

You can't spend your whole life criticizing something and then, when you have the chance to do it better, refuse to go near it.

Authority | Awareness | Capacity | Earth | Honor | Hope | Nothing | Order | People | Respect | Right | Rights | Will | World | Respect | Awareness | Value |

Václav Havel

Without a global revolution in the sphere of human consciousness a more humane society will not emerge.

Blame | Democracy | Duty | Freedom | Government | Obligation | Responsibility | Sin | Will | Wrong | Government | Understand |

Tryon Edwards

How is it that little children are so intelligent and men so stupid? It must be education that does it.

Honor | Life | Life | Love | Tenderness |

Hsuan Hua, aka An Tzu and Tu Lun

The more you study Buddhism, the more you should understand. You shouldn't become more confused. Recognize the truth and open up your "mine of wisdom."

Aspiration | Divinity | Dynamic | Good | Honor | Nature | Practice | Aspiration |

Tryon Edwards

When a tradesman is about to weigh his goods, he first of all looks to his scales and sees that his weights are right. And so for all wise, or safe, or profitable self-examination, we are not to look to frames, or feelings, or to the conduct of others, but to God's word, which is the only true standard of decision.

God | Honor | Position | Providence | God |

Woodrow Wilson, fully Thomas Woodrow Wilson

Nothing was ever done so systematically as nothing is being done now.

Art | Literature | Man | Obligation | Right | Sense | Spirit | Study | Will | Instruction | Art | Leadership |

Woodrow Wilson, fully Thomas Woodrow Wilson

Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.

Comfort | Honor | Life | Life | Love | Man | Men | Peace |

Woodrow Wilson, fully Thomas Woodrow Wilson

You have the greatest soul, the noblest nature, the sweetest, most loving heart I have ever known, and my love, my reverence, my admiration for you, you have increased in one evening as I should have thought only a lifetime of intimate, loving association could have increased them. You are more wonderful and lovely in my eyes than you ever were before; and my pride and joy and gratitude that you should love me with such a perfect love are beyond all expression, except in some great poem which I cannot write.

Honor |

Woodrow Wilson, fully Thomas Woodrow Wilson

The object of education is not merely to draw out the powers of the individual mind: it is rather its right object to draw all minds to a proper adjustment to the physical and social world in which they are to have their life and their development: to enlighten, strengthen and make fit.

Honor | Life | Life |

Thornton Wilder, fully Thornton Niven Wilder

Nature reserves the right to inflict upon her children the most terrifying jests.

Action | Confidence | Fear | Life | Life | Obligation | Security | Sense | Spirit | Time |

Woodrow Wilson, fully Thomas Woodrow Wilson

There was a time when corporations played a minor part in our business affairs, but now they play the chief part, and most men are the servants of corporations.

Conduct | Honor | Ideals | Men | Question |

Thucydides NULL

For so remarkably perverse is the nature of man that he despises whoever courts him, and admires whoever will not bend before him.

Action | Day | Earth | Famous | Freedom | Glory | Greatness | Honor | Knowing | Knowledge | Love | Men | Mortal | Praise | Sense | Speech | Story | Will | Happiness |

Thucydides NULL

You may be sure that we are as well aware as you of the difficulty of contending against your power and fortune, unless the terms be equal. But we trust that the gods may grant us fortune as good as yours, since we are just men fighting against unjust, and that what we want in power will be made up by the alliance of the Lacedaemonians, who are bound, if only for very shame, to come to the aid of their kindred. Our confidence, therefore, after all is not so utterly irrational.

Good | Honor | Hope | Mistake | Present | Reputation | Success |

Tom Butler-Bowdon

We learn how to close the gap between what we are and what we could become. But what if we are yet to identify what we could become? Frankl noted that the modern person has almost too much freedom to deal with. We no longer live through instinct, but tradition is no guide either. This is the existential vacuum, in which the frustrated will to meaning is compensated for in the urge for money, sex, entertainment, even violence. We are not open to the various sources of meaning, which according to Frankl are: 1 Creating a work or doing a deed. 2 Experiencing something or encountering someone (love). 3. The attitude we take to unavoidable suffering.

Obligation | Wealth |

Tom Robbins, fully Thomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins

Maybe most people were fundamentally contradictory. The real people at any rate.

Aid | Honor | Love | Security | Words |

William Shakespeare

A Daniel still say I, a second Daniel! I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word. The Merchant of Venice (Gratiano at IV, i)

Honor | Wise |

William Shakespeare

And wiped our eyes Of drops that sacred pity hath engender'd. As You Like It. Act ii. Sc. 7.

Honor | Husband | Treachery |

William Shakespeare

And, as I am an honest Puck, if we have unearned luck now to scape the serpent's tongue, we will make amends ere long; else the Puck a liar call. So, good night unto you all. Give me your hands, if we be friends, and Robin shall restore amends.

Art | Body | Death | Enough | Honor | Will | Art |