Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing.

He who looks the higher is the more highly distinguished, and turning over the great book of nature (which is the proper object of philosophy) is the way to elevate one’s gaze.

There are many men who are forgotten, who are despised, and who are trampled on by their fellows, but there never was a man who was so despised as the everlasting God has been!

Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true.

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.

Every book you pick up has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones.

Knowledge and human power are synonymous.

To suffer the penalty of too much haste, which is too little speed.

If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

I like to give back.

If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality.

Reason commands us far more imperiously than a master; for in disobeying the one we are unfortunate, and in disobeying the other we are fools.

Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get – only with what you are expecting to give – which is everything.

The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own.

The career of a sage is of two kinds: He is either honored by all in the world, Like a flower waving its head, Or else he disappears into the silent forest.

Misfortune seldom intrudes upon the wise man; his greatest and highest interests are directed by reason throughout the course of life.

Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself.

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.

The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.

I learned a great many years ago that in a fight between husband and wife, a third party should never get between the woman’s skillet and the man’s ax-helve.

Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear.

There are people in the world who aren’t necessarily Christians, but they’re just naturally nice people who do a lot for other people. Those people will almost always be prosperous people.

Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.

No one but a fool is always right.

True liberal government is founded on the emancipation of men.

The story of the human race is the story of men and women selling themselves short.

The more I see the less I know for sure.

All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Of all the things which wisdom provides to make us entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship.

It is most unwise for people in love to marry.

He who possesses art and science has religion; he who does not possess them, needs religion.

Very often, say what you will, a knave is only a fool.

The most amazing philanthropists are people who are actually making a significant sacrifice.

Prime time for men is, say, 35 to 45. Then they level off and fall off.

Some men can live up to their loftiest ideals without ever going higher than a basement.

It is the sign of a great mind to dislike greatness, and to prefer things in measure to things in excess.

There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.

When I look upon seamen, men of science and philosophers, man is the wisest of all beings; when I look upon priests and prophets nothing is as contemptible as man.

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.

Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.

All the learnin‘ my father paid for was a bit o‘ birch at one end and an alphabet at the other.

Hatreds not vowed and concealed are to be feared more than those openly declared.

Fable is more historical than fact, because fact tells us about one man and fable tells us about a million men.

Men have become the tools of their tools.

Whatever is well said by another, is mine.

My mother was a full-time mother. She didn’t have much of her own career, her own life, her own experiences… everything was for her children. I will never be as good a mother as she was. She was just grace incarnate. She was the most generous, loving – she’s better than me.

All great truths begin as blasphemies.

When a man fell into his anecdotage it was a sign for him to retire from the world.

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

Listen to many, speak to a few.

There never was any heart truly great and generous, that was not also tender and compassionate.

The foolish man conceives the idea of ‚self.‘ The wise man sees there is no ground on which to build the idea of ‚self;‘ thus, he has a right conception of the world and well concludes that all compounds amassed by sorrow will be dissolved again, but the truth will remain.

I consider wisdom supernatural because it isn’t taught by men – it’s a gift from God.

The well bred contradict other people. The wise contradict themselves.

Instead of noblemen, let us have noble villages of men.

There are only two things. Truth and lies. Truth is indivisible, hence it cannot recognize itself; anyone who wants to recognize it has to be a lie.

The supreme function of reason is to show man that some things are beyond reason.

It is a wise father that knows his own child.

Truth is a good dog; but always beware of barking too close to the heels of an error, lest you get your brains kicked out.

The art of being a slave is to rule one’s master.