This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Time makes fools of us all. Our only comfort is that greater shall come after us.
Comfort |
Giordano Bruno, born Filippo Bruno
The fools of the world have been those who have established religions, ceremonies, laws, faith, rule of life. The greatest asses of the world are those who, lacking all understanding and instruction, and void of all civil life and custom, rot in perpetual pedantry; those who by the grace of heaven would reform obscure and corrupted faith, salve the cruelties of perverted religion and remove abuse of superstitions, mending the rents in their vesture. It is not they who indulge impious curiosity or who are ever seeking the secrets of nature, and reckoning the courses of the stars. Observe whether they have been busy with the secret causes of things, or if they have condoned the destruction of kingdoms, the dispersion of peoples, fires, blood, ruin or extermination; whether they seek the destruction of the whole world that it may belong to them: in order that the poor soul may be saved, that an edifice may be raised in heaven, that treasure may be laid up in that blessed land, caring naught for fame, profit or glory in this frail and uncertain life, but only for that other most certain and eternal life.
Abuse | Curiosity | Eternal | Glory | Grace | Heaven | Life | Life | Order | Reform | Religion | Rule | Soul | Understanding | World | Blessed |
George Villiers 2nd Duke of Buckingham
The world is made up, for the most part, of fools and knaves, both irreconcileable foes to truth.
World |
And then I thought: what fools we are with our children--always plotting what we shall make of them, always planning for a future that never comes, always intent on what they may be, never accepting what they are.
Future |
Touch not the flute when drums are sounding around; when fools have the word, the wise will be silent.
Charles Montagu Halifax, 1st Earl of Halifax, Lord Halifax
The word "necessary" is miserably applied. It disordereth families, and overturneth government, by being so abused. Remember that children and fools want everything because they want judgment to distinguish; and therefore there is no stronger evidence of a crazy understanding than the making too large a catalogue of things necessary.
Children | Evidence | Judgment | Understanding |
Maimonides, given name Moses ben Maimon or Moshe ben Maimon, known as "Rambam" NULL
When I have a difficult subject before me — when I find the road narrow, and can see no other way of teaching a well established truth except by pleasing one intelligent man and displeasing ten thousand fools — I prefer to address myself to the one man, and to take no notice whatever of the condemnation of the multitude; I prefer to extricate that intelligent man from his embarrassment and show him the cause of his perplexity, so that he may attain perfection and be at peace.
Cause | Man | Perfection | Truth |
Cicero, fully Marcus Tullius Cicero, anglicized as Tully NULL
It is a trait of fools to perceive the faults of others but not their own.
Marguerite De Valois, or Margaret of Valois, Marguerite de France
Love works in miracles every day: such as weakening the strong, and strengthening the weak; making fools of the wise, and wise men of fools; favouring the passions, destroying reason, and in a word, turning everything topsy-turvy.
Michel de Montaigne, fully Lord Michel Eyquem de Montaigne
Fortune, seeing that she could not make fools wise, has made them lucky.
Michel de Montaigne, fully Lord Michel Eyquem de Montaigne
Wise men have more to learn of fools than fools of wise men.
Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon I
Simpletons talk of the past, wise men of the present, and fools of the future.
If solid happiness we prize, within our breast this jewel lies, And they are fools who roam; the world has nothing to bestow, From our own selves our bliss must flow, And that dear hut-our home.
Nicolas Chamfort,fully Sébastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort, also spelled Nicholas
There are more fools than wise men, and even in a wise man there is more folly than wisdom.
Nicholas Boileau-Despréaux, sometimes Nicholas Desperaux or Nicolas Boileau
Greatest fools are the most often satisfied.
Nicolas Chamfort,fully Sébastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort, also spelled Nicholas
How many fools does it take to make up a public?