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

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

As we read the school reports on our children, we realize a sense of relief, that can rise to delight, that, thank Heaven, nobody is reporting in this fashion on us.

Ambiguity | Better | Compassion | Enemy | Failure | Injustice | Injustice | Justice | Little | Means | People | Religion | Sense | Tradition | Understanding | Work | Failure |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

Life implies constant activity, and the vital principle was accordingly regarded as something essentially active, constantly controlling and therefore interfering with physical tendencies towards disintegration of organic structure, and building up new organic structure in the process of nutrition and reproduction.

Body | Death | Evidence | Life | Life | Time |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

And suddenly first one and then another began to sing as they played, deep-throated singing of the dwarves in the deep places of their ancient homes; and this is like a fragment of their song, if it can be like their song without their music... As they sang the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce and jealous love, the desire of the hearts of dwarves. Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick. He looked out of the window. The stars were out in a dark sky above the trees. He thought of the jewels of the dwarves shining in dark caverns. Suddenly in the wood beyond The Water a flame leapt up - probably somebody lighting a wood-fire-and he thought of plundering dragons settling on his quiet Hill and kindling it all to flames. He shuddered; and very quickly he was plain Mr. Baggins of Bag-End, Under-Hill, again. He got up trembling.

Fighting | Ignorance | Money | People | Time |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

Have you not a moist eye, a dry hand, a yellow cheek, a white beard, a decreasing leg, an increasing belly? Is not your voice broken, your wind short, your chin double, your wit single, and every part about you blasted with antiquity?

Life | Life |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

Our whole universe is a universe of perceived phenomena in which all that is perceived embodies part of what is ourselves. A person and all his perceived world, thought, motives, and acts, are active manifestations of personality? personality represents a constant struggle to realize itself. This is why for personality there is always a now? entering into the meaning of the past and the nature of the future.

Life | Life |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

The reality of God?s existence appears as love in the manifestation of goodness, beauty, and truth? Apart from God?s existence as living and active, existence has no ultimate meaning. However far we may look backwards in time, we cannot reach a time when the ordered beauty of the heavens ? that beauty which seems overwhelming when we contemplate it ? was not present. The existence of truth, order and beauty are eternal, since God is eternal.

Life | Life |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

A sword rang as it was drawn. Do what you will; but I will hinder it if I may. - Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me! Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. owyn I am, omund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you if you touch him.

Life | Life |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

But of bliss and glad life there is little to be said, before it ends; as works fair and wonderful, while they still endure for eyes to see, are ever their own record, and only when they are in peril or broken for ever do they pass into song.

Authority | Control | Destroy | Gold | Labor | Men | People | Riches | Work | World | Riches |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

But it is said: Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger. The choice is yours: to go or wait.' 'And it is also said,' answered Frodo: 'Go not to the Elves for counsel for they will answer both no and yes.' 'Is it indeed?' laughed Gildor. 'Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.

Better | Day | Debt | Experiment | Family | Life | Life | Need | Rest | Sense | Will | Following |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

But that will leave no place for us!? cried Pippin in dismay. ?We don?t want to be left behind. We want to go with Frodo.? ?That is because you do not understand and cannot imagine what lies ahead,? said Elrond. ?Neither does Frodo,? said Gandalf, unexpectedly supporting Pippin. Nor do any of us see clearly. It is true that if these hobbits understood the danger, they would not dare to go. But they would still wish to go, or wish that they dared, and be shamed and unhappy. I think, Elrond, that in this matter it would be well to trust rather to their friendship than to great wisdom. Even if you chose for us an elf-lord, such as Glorfindel, he could not storm the Dark Tower, nor open the road to the Fire by the power that is in him.

People |

Italian Proverbs

Wise men change their minds, fools never.

Ability | Attention | Day | Good | Greed | Habit | People | Selfishness |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

To the biologist the problem of socialism appears largely as a problem of size. The extreme socialists desire to run every nation as a single business concern. I do not suppose that Henry Ford would find much difficulty in running Andorra or Luxembourg on a socialistic basis. He has already more men on his pay-roll than their population. It is conceivable that a syndicate of Fords, if we could find them, would make Belgium Ltd. or Denmark Inc. pay their way. But while nationalization of certain industries is an obvious possibility in the largest of states, I find it no easier to picture a completely socialized British Empire or United States than an elephant turning somersaults or a hippopotamus jumping a hedge.

Care | People | Think |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

At length the Lady Galadriel released them from her eyes, and she smiled. ?Do not let your hearts be troubled,? she said. ?Tonight you shall sleep in peace.? Then they sighed and felt suddenly weary, as those who have been questioned long and deeply, though no words had been spoken openly.

Effort | Fighting | Organization | People | Public | Rights | Slavery | Child |

J. B. Priestly, fully John Boynton Priestly

I never read the life of any important person without discovering that he knew more and could do more than I could ever hope to know or do in half a dozen lifetimes.

Force | Life | Life | Loyalty | Loyalty | Mind | Trust | Think |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

Capitalism, though it may not always give the scientific worker a living wage, will always protect him, as being one of the geese which produce golden eggs for its table.

Beginning | Loneliness | Lying | People | Time | Work |

J. B. S. Haldane, fully John Burdon Sanderson Haldane

We cannot separate the phenomena of life from those of its environment.

People |

Ivan Krastev

Transparency is not about restoring trust in institutions; transparency is politics' management of mistrust.

Cult | Language | Myth | Paradise | People | Reality | Religion | Sense | Story | World |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

A pathetic and shadowy medley of half-remembered traditions and mutilated beliefs. ~On the Church of England

Absurd | Life | Life | Think |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

A small oversight, but it proved fatal. Small oversights often do.

Dreams | Goals | Hate | Love | Need | Pain | People | Regret | Forgive | Learn |

J. R. R. Tolkien, fully John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Arise, arise, Riders of Th‚oden! Fell deeds awake, fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!

Business | People | Sense | Slavery | Business | Old |