Quotes About Wisdom

Better by far never to have known the pleasure than to have the pain that followed.

No, but I have passed the point in life where I expect to be satisfied," Augustus said. "At least I don't expect to be satisfied with much. When it comes right down to it, Woodrow, I guess my own cooking beats anything I've come across in this life.

Everyone who came to see him asked questions that were either stupid or impertinent. Better to see no one than to see fools.

Ikey had passed his seventieth year and considered anyone under fifty to be callow, at best.

He gathers information that we can't see, and puts it together.

Her own folly amused her: she had once thought of herself as smart—but look at where she was.

If you wait, all that happens is you get older.

Don't be reviling yourself. None of us is such fine judges of what to do.

What would you know about anything, Jasper?" Augustus asked. "Age don't slow a man's whoring. It's lack of income that does that. No more prosperous than you look, I wouldn't think you'd know much about it.

You don't get the pint, Woodrow," Augustus said. "I've walked the earth in my pride all these years. If that's lost, then let the rest be lost with it. There's certain things my vanity won't abide.

There's no one book that would define me; I'd have to name nearly every book that I've read over the past 70 years. Reading has sustained me and has been the one constant throughout my life.

He himself had once been a man of firm opinion, but now it seemed to him that he knew almost nothing, whereas the words Clara flung at him were hard as rocks.

He behaved like the old ones behaved; the old ones, too, would go to any lengths to learn some useful fact about the animals or the birds. They would figure that someone might need to know those facts; they themselves might not need to, but their children might, or their grandchildren might.

Son, this is a sad thing," Augustus said. "Loss of life always is. But the life is lost for good. Don't go attempting vengeance. You've got more urgent business… Don't be trying to give back pain for pain.

None of it was sensible, yet he had to admit there was something about such follies that he liked. The sensible way, which he had pursued once or twice in his life, had always proved boring ... There was much more enterprise in certain follies, it seemed to him.

I've heard of you, McCrae. But I didn't know you was so old." "Oh, I wasn't till lately," Augustus said.

figured Godwin

But I ain't young enough to count on what I think bein' right, either, an' I ain't fool enough to figure on things turning out the way I expect 'em to.

My grandmother is old," Famous Shoes said. "She may want to tell me a few more stories before she dies.

don't care if they're horses or women or Indians or what. I learned long ago there's much to be said for dumbness.

If you only come face to face with your own mistakes once or twice in your life it's bound to be extra painful. I face mine every day— that way they ain't usually much worse than a dry shave.

What part of a man is it best to shoot at?" asked Sean. "His horse," said Jake.

You can't avoid it, you've got to learn to handle it," Augustus said. "If you only come face-to-face with your own mistakes once or twice in your life it's bound to be extra painful. I face mine every day—that way they ain't usually much worse than a dry shave.

Son, this is a sad thing," Augustus said. "Loss of life always is. But the life is lost for good. Don't you go attempting vengeance.