The Quotes canon
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Browse all 10,075 quotes or apply filters in different categories to narrow your search.
Coming of age story13 quotes
Ask no questions, and you'll be told no lies. — Charles Dickens · 1860In the little world in which children have their existence, whosoever brings them up, there is nothing so finely perceived and so finely felt as injustice. — Charles Dickens · 1860I loved her simply because I found her irresistible. — Charles Dickens · 1861It is a most miserable thing to feel ashamed of home. — Charles Dickens · 1861I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be. — Charles Dickens · 1861It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. — Charles Dickens · 1861All 13 quotes →Philosophical literature8 quotes
The deepest definition of Youth is, Life as yet untouched by tragedy. — Alfred North Whitehead · 1933The more a thing tends to be permanent, the more it tends to be lifeless. — Alan Watts · 1982Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone. — Alan Watts · 1957Whether we like it or not, change comes, and the greater the resistance, the greater the pain. — Alan Watts · 1995Rationalism is an adventure in the clarification of thought. — Alfred North Whitehead · 1928I put forward as a general definition of civilization, that a civilized society is exhibiting the five qualities of Truth, Beauty, Adventure, Art, Peace. — Alfred North Whitehead · 1933All 8 quotes →Historical literature5 quotes
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. — Charles Dickens · 1859I wish you to know you have been the last dream of my soul. — Charles Dickens · 1859It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known. — Charles Dickens · 1859A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other. — Charles Dickens · 1859Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. — H.G. Wells · 1920Religious literature5 quotes
Whoever hath an absolute authority to interpret any written, or spoken laws; it is He, who is truly the Law-giver to all intents and purposes, and not the Person who first wrote, or spoke them. — Benjamin Hoadly · 1717The more a thing tends to be permanent, the more it tends to be lifeless. — Alan Watts · 1982Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone. — Alan Watts · 1957Whether we like it or not, change comes, and the greater the resistance, the greater the pain. — Alan Watts · 1995Zen is a liberation from time. For if we open our eyes and see clearly, it becomes obvious that there is no other time than this instant, and that the past and the future are abstractions without any concrete reality. — Alan Watts · 1957Scientific literature4 quotes
All we know is still infinitely less than all that still remains unknown. — William Harvey · 1628It is a profoundly erroneous truism, repeated by all copy-books and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise opposite is the case. Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are like cavalry charges in a battle-they are strictly limited in number, they require fresh horses, and must only be made at decisive moments. — Alfred North Whitehead · 1911Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. — Alfred North Whitehead · 1911The science of Pure Mathematics, in its modern developments, may claim to be the most original creation of the human spirit. — Alfred North Whitehead · 1925Tragedy (play)3 quotes
Was this the face that launched a thousand ships,
And burnt the topless towers of Ilium?
Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss! — Christopher Marlowe · 1593I count religion but a childish toy, and hold there is no sin but ignorance. — Christopher Marlowe · 1593Accurst be he that first invented war. — Christopher Marlowe · 1587Comedy (play)2 quotes
The most useful thing about a principle is that it can always be sacrificed to expediency. — W. Somerset Maugham · 1921Oh, what a dear ravishing thing is the beginning of an Amour! — Aphra Behn · 1687Travel writing2 quotes
The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases. — William Hazlitt · 1822One of the pleasantest things in the world is going a journey, but I like to go by myself. I can enjoy society in a room; but out of doors, nature is company enough for me. I am then never less alone than when alone. — William Hazlitt · 1822Autobiography and memoir1 quote
Words have weight, sound, and appearance; it is only by considering these that you can write a sentence that is good to look at and good to listen to. — W. Somerset Maugham · 1948Comedy1 quote
Oh, what a dear ravishing thing is the beginning of an Amour! — Aphra Behn · 1687Tragedy1 quote
Accurst be he that first invented war. — Christopher Marlowe · 1587