Quotes About Reflection

Twice and thrice over, as they say, good is it to repeat and review what is good.

No one knows whether death is really the greatest blessing a man can have, but they fear it is the greatest curse, as if they knew well.

I would fain grow old learning many things.

Know one knows whether death, which people fear to be the greatest evil, may not be the greatest good.

You are young, my son, and, as the years go by, time will change and even reverse many of your present opinions. Refrain therefore awhile from setting yourself up as a judge of the highest matters.

To be curious about that which is not one's concern while still in ignorance of oneself is absurd.

Remember how in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may.N.B. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. See also Napoleon Bonaparte.

Only the dead have seen the end of war.

He who would be a writer, fine, Must take a deal of pains, Must criticize his every line, And mix his ink with brains.

There is no book so bad it does not contain something good.

No mortal man, moreover is wise at all moments.

There is nothing to write about, you say. Well then, write and let me know just this - that there is nothing to write about or tell me in the good old style if you are well. That's right. I am quite well.

nihil novum nihil varium nihil quod non semel spectasse sufficiat

Não ignoro que muitos outros não olham estas espécies de desgraças senão como uma simples perda de um bem, e que assim pensando eles se julgam grandes homens e homens sábios. De minha parte, não sei se são tão grandes e tão sábios como o imaginam, mas sei bem que não são homens.

When we look outside of that on which we depend we ignore our unity; looking outward we see many faces; look inward and all is one head. If a man could but be turned about, he would see at once God and himself and the All.

The purification of the Soul is simply to allow it to be alone; it is pure when it keeps no company.

When one has achieved the object of one's desires, it is evident that one's real desire was not the ignorant possession of the desired object but to know it as possessed--as actually contemplated, as within one.

One jests because one wants to contemplate.

Next to this, we must consider the soul receiving its beauty from intellect

Paying attention to personal grooming while you are recovering from a one-night stand can improve things immensely.

A sage thing is timely silence, and better than any speech

It is wise to be silent when occasion requires, and better than to speak, though never so well.

Like watermen, who look astern while they row the boat ahead.

An old doting fool, with one foot already in the grave.