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

Vannevar Bush

Science can be effective in the national welfare only as a member of a team, whether the conditions be peace or war. But without scientific progress no amount of achievement in other directions can insure our health, prosperity, and security as a nation in the modern world.

Reading | Research | Time | World | Writing | Old |

Ursula Le Guin, fully Ursula Kroeber Le Guin

There was something lacking – in him, he thought, not in the place. He was not up to it. He was not strong enough to take what was so generously offered. He felt himself dry and arid, like a desert plant, in this beautiful oasis. Life on Anarres had sealed him, closed off his soul; the waters of life welled all around him, and yet he could not drink.

Important | Nothing | Right | World | Child |

Tommaso Campanella, baptized Giovanni Domenico Campanella

And when there is no wind a beast draws along a huge cart, which is a grand sight.

Art | Earth | God | Human race | Justice | Play | Race | Will | Art | God |

Thucydides NULL

It is a common mistake in going to war to begin at the wrong end, to act first, and wait for disasters to discuss the matter.

Belief | Enemy | Man | Practice | Rest | Right | Superiority | Think |

Tom Hayden, fully Thomas Emmet "Tom" Hayden

I don't think I'll ever fully get over losing the city council seat. I don't know how that happened. But it

Hypocrisy | People | Reflection | Silence | Poem |

Hugh Blair

In the eye of that Supreme Being to whom our whole internal frame is uncovered, motives and dispositions hold the place of actions.

Chance | Delay | Light | Plan | Time | Will |

William Godwin

It is absurd to expect the inclinations and wishes of two human beings to coincide, through any long period of time. To oblige them to act and live together is to subject them to some inevitable potion of thwarting, bickering, and unhappiness.

Absolute | Action | Feelings | Impression | Judgment | Man | Reason | Sacred | Sense | Understanding | Intellect |

William James

If the grace of God miraculously operates, it probably operates through the subliminal door.

Better | Business | Mankind | Martyrs | Race | Business |

Elizabeth Gilbert

Luca’s grandfather (who I hope is known as Nonno Spaghetti) gave him his first sky-blue Lazio jersey when the boy was just a toddler. Luca, likewise, will be a Lazio fan until he dies. We can change our wives, he said. We can change our jobs, our nationalities and even our religions, but we can never change our team. By the way, the word for fan in Italian is tifoso. Derived from the word for typhus. In other words—one who is mightily fevered.

Emmet Fox

One of the first rules on the spiritual path is that you must attend strictly to your own business and not interfere with that of others. Your neighbor's life is sacred and you have no right to try to manage it for him. Let him alone. God has given him free will and self-determination, so why should you interfere? Many well-meaning people are constantly "butting in"" to their neighbors' lives without invitation. They pretend to themselves that their only desire is to help, but this is self-deception. It is really a desire to interfere. Interference always does more harm than good. Actually those who mind other people's business always neglect their own. The man who wants to put your house in order has always made a failure of his own life. M.Y.O.B. Of course, this does not mean that you are not to help people whenever you can; in fact, you should make it a rule to try to do at least one kind act every day; but you must do it without interfering or encroaching. When in doubt, claim Divine Guidance. It is always right to give your neighbor the right thought. Under any circumstances it can only do good to "Golden Key" him when you think of him. Don't fuss - God is running the universe.

Boasting | Business | Confidence | Destroy | Important | Inspiration | Kill | Law | Nature | People | Plan | Secrecy | Talking | Will | World | Business | Child |

Erma Bombeck, fully Erma Louise Bombeck, born Erma Fiste

Grandparenthood is one of life's rewards for surviving your own children.

Life | Life | Unique | Will |

Ernest Hemingway, fully Ernest Miller Hemingway

Then he was sorry for the great fish... How many people will he feed?.. But are they worthy to eat him? No, of course, not. There is no one worthy of eating him from the manner of his behavior and his great dignity.

Man | Panic | Pity | Will | Wise | Wonder | Old |

Che Guevara, fully Ernesto “Che” Guevara

The vedadero revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.

Ester and Jerry Hicks

Be happy in anticipation of what's coming.

Desire | Energy | Good | Harmony | Will |

Eugene Peterson

This devalues the experience of suffering.

Enthusiasm | Experience | Inclination | Little |

Euripedes NULL

ManÂ’s best possession is a sympathetic wife.

Journey | Man |

Evelyn Waugh, fully Evelyn Arthur St. John Waugh

Mrs. Ape's famous hymn, There ain't no flies on the Lamb of God.

Future | Will | World |

Ezra Taft Benson

The moment you begin a serious study of the scriptures, you will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the straight and narrow path... When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater abundance.

Freedom | Illusion | Invention | Men | People | Rights | Work | Intellect |

Felix Adler

There is a difficulty in the way of teaching the higher life, due to the fact that only those who have begun to lead it can understand the meaning of it. Nevertheless, all men can be induced to begin to lead it. Though they seem blind, their eyes can be opened so as to see. Deep down in every human heart is the seed of a diviner life, which only needs the quickening influence of right conditions to germinate.

Aid | Effort | Plan | Sense |