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

Ibn Ibn Al-Fāriḍ

In symbols there is a meaning that words cannot define.

Meaning | Words |

Edwin Percy Whipple

Every author, indeed, who really influences the mind, who plants in it thoughts an sentiments which take root and grow, communicates his character. Error and immorality - two words for one thing, for error is the immorality of the intellect, and immorality the error of the heart - these escape from him if they are in him, and pass into the recipient mind through subtle avenues invisible to consciousness.

Character | Consciousness | Error | Heart | Mind | Wisdom | Words |

Annius NULL

I hold it to be of the highest importance for our interests that we should think rather of what we shall do than what we shall say. When we have decided upon that, it will be easy to accommodate our words to our acts.

Will | Words | Think |

Willem Ernst Wunder

Clearly, if disease is man-made, it can also be man-prevented. It should be the function of medicine to help people die young as late in life as possible.

Disease | Life | Life | Man | People | Wisdom |

Book of Li, aka Book of Rites or Record of Rites or Classic Rites NULL

One should not (seek to) please others in an improper way, not be lavish of his words... To cultivate one’s person and fulfill one’s word is called good conduct. When the conduct is (thus) ordered, and the words are accordant with the (right) course, we have the substance of the rules of propriety... The course (of duty), virtue, benevolence, and righteousness cannot be fully carried out without the rules of propriety... nor can the clearing up of quarrels and discriminating in disputes be accomplished.

Benevolence | Conduct | Duty | Good | Right | Righteousness | Virtue | Virtue | Words |

S. Truett Cathy

Lives can be changed if you say the right thing at the right time at the right place with the right spirit… Words of encouragement, spoken or written, have a dramatic effect on a person…Well-intended words, even though they are correct, can damage relationships if they are not perceived as being offered with good will.

Good | Right | Spirit | Time | Will | Words |

Amilcar Cabral

Always remember that the people are not fighting for ideas, nor for what is in men’s minds. The people fight and accept the sacrifices demanded by the struggle in order to gain material advantages, to live better and in peace, to benefit from progress, and for the better future of their children. National liberation, the struggle against colonialism, the construction of peace, progress and independence are hollow words devoid of any significance unless they can be translated into real improvement of living conditions.

Better | Children | Fighting | Future | Ideas | Improvement | Men | Order | Peace | People | Progress | Struggle | Words |

Winston Churchill, fully Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill

The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.

Argument | Conversation | Democracy |

Dhammapada NULL

Better than a thousand meaningless words is one word of sense which brings the hearer peace.

Better | Peace | Sense | Words |

Dhammapada NULL

However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do if you do not act upon them?

Good | Will | Words |

Mourning Dove or Christal Quintasket, aka Mourning Dove Salish and Christine Quintasket NULL

Everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence.

Disease | Earth | Existence | Mission | Purpose | Purpose |

Charles Dyer

Man’s disease is loneliness; God’s is progress.

Disease | God | Loneliness | Man | Progress |

Mahatma Gandhi, fully Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, aka Bapu

Fear of disease killed more men than disease itself.

Disease | Fear | Men |

Emmet Fox

A covenant is a contract. When two people enter into a covenant, it means that one party undertakes to do certain things provided the other party does certain other things. Thus it is a mutual agreement… If you think only kindly, , optimistic, and constructive thoughts, if you will speak only positive and helpful words at all times, if you will do only good and constructive deeds, you will be fulfilling your side of the great covenant – and in no circumstances could God fail to fulfill His.

Circumstances | Deeds | God | Good | Means | People | Will | Words | God | Think |

Mu-mon Gensen, also Mumon Gensen

Words cannot describe everything. The heart’s message cannot be delivered in words. If one receives words literally, he will be lost. If he tries to explain with words, eh will not attain enlightenment in this life.

Enlightenment | Heart | Life | Life | Will | Words |

Sidney Greenberg

Some of the most sacred promises are made without words in the silent sanctuary of the soul.

Sacred | Soul | Words |

O. Henry, pen name for William Sydney Porter

Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man’s starving.

Art | Business | Family | Love | Man | Nothing | Patriotism | Religion | Words | Business | Art |

Robert K. Greenleaf

Responsibility . . . requires that a person think, speak and act as if personally accountable to all who may be affected by his or her thoughts, words and deeds… Awareness is important… Am I moving in the right direction? Is my sense of responsibility growing, deepening, becoming sharper and more insistent?.. A sense of responsibility is an attitude, a feeling.

Awareness | Deeds | Important | Responsibility | Right | Sense | Words | Awareness |