Poverty wants some, luxury many, and avarice all things. Abraham Cowley on avarice
Begin, be bold, and venture to be wise; He who defers his work from day to day, Does on a river's bank expecting stay; Till the whole stream which stopped him should be gone, That runs, and as it runs, for ever will run on. Abraham Cowley on procrastination
Money was made, not to command our will, But all our lawful pleasures to fulfill. Shame and woe to us, if we our wealth obey; The horse doth with the horseman away. Abraham Cowley on wealth
I would not enter in my list of friends, Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. An inadvertent step may crush the snail That crawls at evening in the public path, But he has the humanity, forewarned, Will tread aside, and let the reptile live. William Cowper on friendship
Reasoning at every step he treads, Man yet mistakes his way, Whilst meaner things, whom instinct leads, Are rarely known to stray. William Cowper on instinct
Acquaint thyself with God, if thou would'st taste His works. Admitted once to his embrace, Thou shalt perceive that thou was blind before: Thine eye shall be instructed; and thine heart Made pure shall relish with divine delight Till then unfelt, what hands divine have wrought. William Cowper on religion
O solitude, where are the charms That sages have seen in thy face? Better dwell in the midst of alarms, Than reign in this horrible place. William Cowper on solitude
Every sin is the result of a collaboration. Stephen Crane on religion
A man said to the universe: "Sir, I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "That fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." Stephen Crane on universe
Oh hast thou forgotten this day we must part? It may be for years and it may be forever; Oh why art thou silent, thou voice of my heart? Julia Crawford on parting
International business may conduct its operations with scraps of paper, but the ink it uses is human blood. Eric Ambler on business
Love is the extra effort we make in our dealings with those whom we do not like and once you understand that, you understand all. This idea that love overtakes you is nonsense. This is but a polite manifestation of sex. To love another you have to undertake some fragment of their destiny. Quentin Crisp on love
Instead of this we have luxury and avarice; public indigence side by side with private opulence; we glorify wealth and pursue idleness; between the worthy and the unworthy we make no distinction; all the prizes of virtue are awarded to ambition. Gaius Sallustius Crispus on avarice