The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books] Quotes

“Pier Paolo Vergerio, after reviewing the principal branches of study, states that a liberal education does not presuppose acquaintance with them all; “for a thorough mastery of even one of them might fairly be the achievement of a lifetime. Most of us, too, must learn to be content with modest capacity as with modest fortune. Perhaps we do wisely to pursue that study which we find most suited to our intelligence and our tastes, though it is true we cannot rightly understand one subject unless we can perceive its relation to the rest.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Speak both in the senate and to every man, whoever he may be, appropriately, not with any affectation: use plain discourse.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Consider thyself to be dead, and to have completed thy life up to the present time; and live according to nature the remainder which is allowed thee.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“It is not right to vex ourselves at things, For they care nought about it.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Nothing is more wretched than a man who traverses everything in a round, and pries into things beneath the earth, as the poet says, and seeks by conjecture what is in the minds of his neighbours, without perceiving that it is sufficient to attend to the daemon within him,”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Every moment think steadily as a Roman and a man to do what thou hast in hand with perfect and simple dignity, and feeling of affection, and freedom, and justice; and to give thyself relief from all other thoughts. And thou wilt give thyself relief, if thou doest every act of thy life as if it were the last, laying aside all carelessness and passionate aversion from the commands of reason, and all hypocrisy, and self-love, and discontent with the portion which has been given to thee.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“refrain from fault-finding, and not in a reproachful way to chide those who uttered any barbarous or solecistic or strange-sounding expression; but dexterously to introduce the very expression which ought to have been used, and in the way of answer or giving confirmation, or joining in an inquiry about the thing itself, not about the word, or by some other fit suggestion.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“wherever a man is against his will, that to him is a prison.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Uncharitableness spoils the best Gains, and two to one but it entails a Curse upon the Possessors.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Jealousy is a kind of Civil War in the Soul, where Judgment and Imagination are at perpetual Jars.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Truth never lost Ground by Enquiry, because she is most of all Reasonable.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“it is not only a Troublesome but Slavish Thing to be Nice.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Speak properly, and in as few Words as you can, but always plainly; for the End of Speech is not Ostentation, but to be understood.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“an Over-value of our selves, gives us but a dangerous Security in many Respects. 113. We expect more than belongs to us; take all that’s given us though never meant us; and fall out with those that are not as full of us as we are of our selves. 114. In short, ’tis a Passion that abuses our Judgment, and makes us both Unsafe and Ridiculous.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“They that censure, should Practice: Or else let them have the first stone, and the last too.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Be not deceived with the first appearances of things, but give thy self Time to be in the right.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“If we would amend the World, we should mend Our selves; and teach our Children to be, not what we are, but what they should be.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Mix Kindness with Authority; and rule more by Discretion than Rigor.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Wear none of thine own Chains; but keep free, whilst thou art free.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Knowledge is the Treasure, but Judgment the Treasurer of a Wise Man.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Believe nothing against another but upon good Authority: Nor report what may hurt another, unless it be a greater hurt to others to conceal it.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Elegancy, is a good Meen and Address given to Matter, be it by proper or figurative Speech: Where the Words are apt, and allusions very natural, Certainly it has a moving Grace: But it is too artificial for Simplicity, and oftentimes for Truth. The Danger is, lest it delude the Weak, who in such Cases may mistake the Handmaid for the Mistress, if not Error for Truth.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Some are so Foolish as to interrupt and anticipate those that speak, instead of hearing and thinking before they answer; which is uncivil as well as silly.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Some oppose Honor to Submission: But it can be no Honor to maintain, what it is dishonorable to do.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Be Reserved, but not Sour; Grave, but not Formal; Bold, but not Rash; Humble, but not Servile; Patient, not Insensible; Constant, not Obstinate; Chearful, not Light; Rather Sweet than Familiar; Familiar, than Intimate; and Intimate with very few, and upon very good Grounds.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“A true Friend unbosoms freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a Friend unchangeably.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Chuse thy Cloaths by thine own Eyes, not another’s. The more plain and simple they are, the better. Neither unshapely, nor fantastical; and for Use and Decency, and not for Pride. 75. If thou art clean and warm, it is sufficient; for more doth but rob the Poor, and please the Wanton.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“All Excess is ill: But Drunkenness is of the worst Sort. It spoils Health, dismounts the Mind, and unmans Men: It reveals Secrets, is Quarrelsome, Lascivious, Impudent, Dangerous and Mad. In fine, he that is drunk is not a Man: Because he is so long void of Reason, that distinguishes a Man from a Beast.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“Eat therefore to live, and do not live to eat. That’s like a Man, but this below a Beast.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]

“If thou wouldst he happy and easie in thy Family, above all things observe Discipline.”
― Various, The Harvard Classics Collection [140 Books]