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

Elizabeth Gould Davis

The fact is that men need women more than women need men; and so, aware of this fact, man has sought to keep woman dependent upon him economically as the only method open to him of making himself necessary to her. Since in the beginning woman would not become his willing slave, he has wrought through the centuries a society in which woman must serve him if she is to survive.

Inferiority | Myth | Time |

Ellen Glasgow, fully Ellen Anderson Gholson Glasgow

The pathos of life is worse than the tragedy.

Day | Life | Life |

Dorothy Parker

If I had a shiny gun I could have a world of fun speeding bullets through the brains of the folks that cause me pains.

Fun | Looks |

Emily Dickinson, fully Emily Elizabeth Dickinson

Earth is a merry damsel, and heaven a knight so true.

Emile Zola

Did not one spend the first half of one's days in dreams of happiness and the second half in regrets and terrors?

Emily Dickinson, fully Emily Elizabeth Dickinson

It was not death, for I stood up, and all the dead lie down; it was not night, for all the bells put out their tongues, for noon. It was not frost, for on my flesh I felt siroccos crawl, nor fire, for just my marble feet could keep a chancel cool. And yet it tasted like them all; the figures I have seen set orderly, for burial, reminded me of mine, as if my life were shaven and fitted to a frame, and could not breathe without a key; and I was like midnight, some, when everything that ticked has stopped, and space stares, all around, or grisly frosts, first autumn morns, repeal the beating ground. But most like chaos,--stopless, cool, without a chance or spar,-- or even a report of land to justify despair.

Eternity | Mortal | Noise | Quiet | World |

Emily Dickinson, fully Emily Elizabeth Dickinson

Then I will not repine knowing that bird of mine though flown shall in a distant tree bright melody for me return.

Day | Death | Earth | Heaven |

Emily Brontë, fully Emily Jane Brontë, aka pseudonym Ellis Bell

But there's this difference: one is gold put to the use of paving-stones, and the other is tin polished to ape a service of silver.

Bible | Man | Bible | Old |

Emily Brontë, fully Emily Jane Brontë, aka pseudonym Ellis Bell

I cried so much for him as for her, sometimes we have compassion for creatures that do not have this feeling not for themselves nor for others.

Better | Care | Love | Nothing |

Emily Dickinson, fully Emily Elizabeth Dickinson

Who has not found the heaven below will fail of it above. God's residence is next to mine, His furniture is love.

Emily Brontë, fully Emily Jane Brontë, aka pseudonym Ellis Bell

Look on the grave where thou must sleep thy last, and strongest foe; it is endurance not to weep, if that repose seem woe.

Grief |

Emily Brontë, fully Emily Jane Brontë, aka pseudonym Ellis Bell

I pray one prayer—I repeat it till my tongue stiffens—Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!

Better | Love |

Emma Goldman

One cannot be too extreme in dealing with social ills; the extreme thing is generally the true thing.

Inevitable | Inferiority | Merit | Position | Question | Right | Woman |

Emily Brontë, fully Emily Jane Brontë, aka pseudonym Ellis Bell

The world is for me a hideous collection of memorabilia telling me she lived and I have lost her.

Emma Goldman

It is safe to say that no other superstition is so detrimental to growth, so enervating and paralyzing to the minds and hearts of the people, as the superstition of Morality.

Man |

Emily Dickinson, fully Emily Elizabeth Dickinson

Whenever a thing is done for the first time, it releases a little demon.

Emily Brontë, fully Emily Jane Brontë, aka pseudonym Ellis Bell

I'm now quite cured of seeking pleasure in society, be it country or town. A sensible man ought to find sufficient company in himself.

Earth | Soul | Spirit |

Emma Goldman

The individual whose vision encompasses the whole world often feels nowhere so hedged in and out of touch with his surroundings as in his native land.

Fear | Force | Life | Life | Meaning | Men | Opinion | Public | Receive | Right | Wants | Will | Woman | Work | Learn |

English Proverbs

Repentance is good, but innocence is better.

Erma Bombeck, fully Erma Louise Bombeck, born Erma Fiste

In two decades I've lost a total of 789 pounds. I should be hanging from a charm bracelet.

Day | Men |