Quotes About Wisdom

I prefer the man who calls his nonsense a mystery to him who who pretends it is a weighed, measured, analyzed fact.

My friend, when a man has anything to tell in this world, the difficulty is not to make him tell it, but to prevent him from telling it too often.

Thus, I blush to add, you can not be a philosopher and a good man, though you may be a philosopher and a great one.

The difficult task of knowing another soul is not for young gentlemen whose consciousness is chiefly made up of their own wishes.

The healthfull man can give counsell to the sick.

Send a wise man on an errand, and say nothing unto him. [Send a wise man on an errand, and say nothing to him.]

The corne hides it self in the snow, as an old man in furrs.

The Divell never assailes a man, except he find him either void of knowledge, or of the fear of God.

To a crafty man, a crafty and an halfe.

A wise man needes not blush for changing his purpose.

An Oxe is taken by the horns, and a Man by the tongue.

Hee commands enough that obeyes a wise man.

In the kingdome of blind men the one ey'd is king. [In the kingdom of blind men the one eyed is king.]

Old men, when they scorne young, make much of death. [Old men, when they scorn young, make much of death.]

Pension never inriched young man. [Pension never enriched a young man.]

Fooles bite one another, but wise-men agree together.

Books are all right, but dead men's brains are no good unless you mix a live one's with them.

ThereÂ's no easier way to cure foolishness than to give a man leave to be foolish. And the only way to show a fellow that heÂ's chosen the wrong business is to let him try it.

It is expedient to have acquaintance with those who have looked into the world, who know men, understand business, and can give you good intelligence and good advice when they are wanted.

The notion that as a man grows older his illusions leave him is not quite true. What is true is that his early illusions are supplanted by new, and to him, equally convincing illusions.

They are not the best students who are most dependent on books. What can be got out of them is at best only material; a man must build his house for himself.

No man should be allowed to be the President who does not understand hogs, or hasn't been around a manure pile.

Books are dead men talking.

The old man laid a withered, spotted hand on his shoulder. "It hurts, boy," he said softly. "Oh, yes. Choosing . . . it has always hurt. And always will. I know.