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Refinement Quotes

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Refinement Quotes

“Far better, and more cheerfully, I could dispense with some part of the downright necessaries of life, than with certain circumstances of elegance and propriety in the daily habits of using them.”

CertainHabitCircumstancesEleganceRefinementProprietyDaily Habits
Book:De Quincey's Writings: Life and manners; from The autobiography of an English opium-eater. 1851
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“A semi-civilized state of society, equally removed from the extremes of barbarity and of refinement, seems to be that particular meridian under which all the reciprocities and gratuities of hospitality do most readily flourish and abound. For it so happens that the ease, the luxury, and the abundance of the highest state of civilization, are as productive of selfishness, as the difficulties, the privations, and the sterilities of he lowest.”

StatesSeemsHappensParticularCivilizationHighestDifficultyExtremesLuxurySelfishnessEaseAbundanceProductiveCivilizedLowestHospitalityRefinementReciprocityBarbarityGratuity
Book:Lacon: or, Many things in few words
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“As to the pure all things are pure, so the common mind sees far more vulgarity in others than the mind developed in genuine refinement.”

MindCommonPureAll ThingsGenuineRefinementVulgarity
Book:The Complete Novels of George Macdonald (Illustrated): The Princess and the Goblin, The Princess and Curdie, Phantastes, At the Back of the North Wind, Lilith, David Elginbrod, Malcolm, Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood, Wilfrid Cumbermede and many more
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“Tis mighty easy o'er a glass of wine On vain refinements vainly to refine, To laugh at poverty in plenty's reign, To boast of apathy when out of pain, And in each sentence, worthy of the schools, Varnish'd with sophistry, to deal out rules Most fit for practice, but for one poor fault That into practice they can ne'er be brought.”

SchoolPainEasyPoorDealsPovertyPracticeLaughingFitWineFaultsGlassesWorthySentencesPlentyVainApathyReignBoastRefinementWine GlassSophistry
Book:The Poetical Works of Charles Churchill: With Memoir, Critical Dissertation, and Explanatory Notes
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“'Monsieur,' Madame d'Arestel, Superior of the convent of the Visitation at Belley, once said to me more than fifty years ago, 'whenever you want to have a really good cup of chocolate, make it the day before, in a porcelain coffeepot, and let it set. The night's rest will concentrate it and give it a velvety quality which will make it better. Our good God cannot possibly take offense at this little refinement, since he himself is everything that is most perfect.'”

WantGivingYearsLittlesSaidNightPerfectQualityFoodYears AgoCookingSuperiorsCupsFiftyCulinaryChocolateOffenseRefinementGood GodVisitationPorcelain
Book:The Physiology of Taste: or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy
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“Riches are valuable at all times, and to all men, because they always purchase pleasures such as men are accustomed to and desire; nor can anything restrain or regulate the love of money but a sense of honor and virtue, which, if it be not nearly equal at all times, will naturally abound most in ages of knowledge and refinement.”

IfsMenAgeDesirePleasureVirtueHonorEqualValuableRichesAll TimeAccustomedRefinementLove Of Money
Book:Essays and treatises on several subjects in two volumes: Essays, moral, political, and literacy
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“In life we only try to produce, to win, and enjoy the more we can; in science, to discoverand invent the more we can; in religion, to dominate (or rule over) on the greatest number of people we can; whereas the forming of the character, the further development (or in-dept analysis, "appronfondissement", Fr.) of the faculties of the intelligence ("les facultés de l'intelligence", Fr.), the refinement of the consciousness and of the heart, are considered incidental (or subordinate) things.”

PeopleTryingHeartCharacterWinningEnjoyNumbersConsciousnessProduceDevelopmentAnalysisFacultySubordinatesRefinement
Author:African Spir
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“It is in refinement and elegance that the civilized man differs from the savage.”

MenCivilizedSavagesEleganceRefinement
Book:The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D., comprehending an account of his studies, and numerous works, in chronological order: a series of his epistolary correspondence and conversations with many eminent persons; and various original pieces of his composition, never before published; the whole exhibiting a view of literature and literary men in Great Britain, for near half a century during which he flourished
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“In its broad sense, civilization means not only comfort in daily necessities but also the refining of knowledge and the cultivation of virtue so as to elevate human life to a higher plane... It refers to the attainment of both material well-being and the elevation of the human spirit, [but] since what produces man's well-being and refinement is knowledge and virtue, civilization ultimately means the progress of man's knowledge and virtue.”

MenHumansWellsMeanSpiritVirtueProgressProduceMaterialsHigherComfortCivilizationWell BeingPlanesHuman LifeBroadsHuman SpiritAttainmentRefinementCultivationElevationRefining
Author:Fukuzawa Yukichi
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“Agriculture is the foundation of manufactures; since the productions of nature are the materials of art. Under the Roman empire, the labour of an industrious and ingenious people was variously, but incessantly employed, in the service of the rich. In their dress, their table, their houses, and their furniture, the favourites of fortune united every refinement of conveniency, of elegance, and of splendour, whatever could soothe their pride or gratify their sensuality.”

PeopleArtHouseUnitedHistoryRichMaterialsPrideDressesTablesFoundationFortuneProductionsSensualityEmpiresLabourAgricultureEmployedFurnitureEleganceRoman EmpireRefinementIngeniousIndustriousIncessantlySplendour
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1: With Maps
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“Although the progress of civilisation has undoubtedly contributed to assuage the fiercer passions of human nature, it seems to have been less favourable to the virtue of chastity, whose most dangerous enemy is the softness of the mind. The refinements of life corrupt while they polish the intercourse of the sexes. The gross appetite of love becomes most dangerous when it is elevated, or rather, indeed, disguised by sentimental passion.”

MindHumansHas BeensSeemsPassionSexLove IsEnemyHistoryVirtueProgressDangerousHuman NatureAppetiteSentimentalGrossPolishIntercourseCivilisationChastityRoman EmpireRefinementSoftness
Book:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
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“The ancients were destitute of many of the conveniences of life which have been invented or improved by the progress of industry; and the plenty of glass and linen has diffused more real comforts among the modern nations of Europe than the senators of Rome could derive from all the refinements of pompous or sensual luxury.”

Has BeensRealNationsHistoryProgressModernIndustryComfortEuropeGlassesLuxuryPlentySensualRomeSenatorsConvenienceRoman EmpireRefinementPompousDestituteLinen
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
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“The general notions about human understanding...which are illustrated by discoveries in atomic physics are not in the nature of things wholly unfamiliar, wholly unheard of, or new. Even in our own culture, they have a history, and in Buddhist and Hindu thought a more considerable and central place. What we shall find is an exemplification, an encouragement, and a refinement of old wisdom.”

HumansCultureUnderstandingDiscoveryEncouragementNotionPhysicsBuddhistUnfamiliarRefinementUnheardOld Wisdom
Author:J. Robert Oppenheimer
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“The science of the church is neglected for the study of geometry, and they lose sight of Heaven while they are employed in measuring the earth. Euclid is perpetually in their hands. Aristotle and Theophrastus are the objects of their admiration; and they express an uncommon reverence for the works of Galen. Their errors are derived from the abuse of the arts and sciences of the infidels, and they corrupt the simplicity of the gospel by the refinements of human reason.”

HumansArtReasonHandsEarthHeavenLosesChurchStudyObjectsAbuseSightMathematicsErrorsSimplicityAdmirationReverenceEmployedNeglectedGeometryUncommonRefinementMeasuringArt And ScienceInfidelHuman ReasonEuclidGalen
Book:Delphi Complete Works of Edward Gibbon (Illustrated)
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“The hardest single part of building a software system is deciding precisely what to build the most important function that software builders do for their clients is the iterative extraction and refinement of the product requirements. For the truth is, the clients do not know what they want. They usually do not know what questions must be answered, and they have almost never thought of the problem in the detail that must be specified.”

KnowsWantImportantProblemBuildingProductsTruth IsFunctionDetailsHardestSoftwareClientsRequirementsBuilderRefinementExtraction
Author:Fred Brooks
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“The Great Being saith: Human utterance is an essence which aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation. As to its influence, this is conditional upon refinement which in turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be combined with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and Tablets.”

HumansHeartTurnsInfluenceHolyPureEssenceScriptureDependentModerationDetachedRefinementUtteranceHoly ScripturesTactTabletsConditional
Author:Bahá'u'lláh
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“Musick is certainly a very agreeable Entertainment, but if it would take the entire Possession of our Ears, if it would make us incapable of hearing Sense, if it would exclude Arts that have a much greater Tendency to the Refinement of human Nature; I must confess I would allow it no better Quarter than Plato has done, who banishes it out of his Common-wealth.”

IfsHumansArtDoneWealthCommonMusicGreaterHuman NatureMusicianEarsEntertainmentPossessionHearingTendenciesQuartersIncapablePlatoRefinement
Book:The Works of Joseph Addison: Including the Whole Contents of Bp. Hurd's Edition, with Letters and Other Pieces Not Found in Ay Previous Collection; and Macaulay's Essay on His Life and Works
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“Luxury, or a refinement on the pleasures and conveniences of life, had long been supposed the source of every corruption in government, and the immediate cause of faction, sedition, civil wars, and the total loss of liberty. It was, therefore, universally regarded as a vice, and was an object of declamation to all satyrists, and severe moralists.”

LongWarGovernmentCausesLossPleasureLibertyObjectsSourceVicesCorruptionLuxuryCivil WarSevereConvenienceRefinementFactionsMoralistDeclamation
Book:An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals
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“My friend had a brilliant idea. This impressed me. It reflected an immense deal of credit on his brain. But when he expressed it,it lost all value, and enjoyed but a commonplace status. My friend blamed this devaluation on the language. "I hate English," he said. So he studied another language. He mastered it so perfectly that there was no room left in his brain for a brilliant idea. Now he has a grudge against words. He refuses to use them. He prefers to shrug or grunt. A new crop of ideas is growing. They show promise of future refinement.”

SaidIdeasUseShowsValuesHateLostLeftLanguageRoomsDealsBrainGrowingPromiseMy FriendsI HateRefuseCreditBrilliantEnjoyedImmenseImpressedCropsCommonplaceGrudgeRefinementBrilliant IdeasGrunt
Author:Marvin L. Cohen
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“This is not a new world - it is simply an extension of what began in the old one. It has patterned itself after every dictator who has ever planted the ripping imprint of a boot on the pages of history since the beginning of time. It has refinements...technological advances...and a more sophisticated approach to the destruction of human freedom. But like everyone of the super-states that preceded it - it has one iron rule: logic is an enemy and truth is a menace.”

WorldHumansStatesEnemyTruth IsApproachPagesDestructionLogicIronNew WorldBootsDictatorSophisticatedTechnologicalExtensionsMenaceRefinementHuman Freedom
Author:Rod Serling
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“The British have their own conception of what constitutes the typical American. He must have a flavor of the Wild West about him. He must do spectacular things. He must not be punctilious about dignity, decorum and other refinements characteristic of the real British gentleman. The Yankee pictured by the Briton must be a bustler. If he is occasionally flagrantly indiscreet in speech and action, then he is so much more surely stamped the genuine article. The most typical American the British ever set their eyes on was, in their judgment, Theodore Roosevelt.”

IfsRealEyeActionAmericaSpeechJudgmentDignityWestBritishGenuineGentlemanCharacteristicsConceptionArticlesTypicalFlavorYankeesSpectacularRefinementDecorumWild WestTheodoreBritons
Author:B. C. Forbes
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“Tea with us became more than an idealisation of the form of drinking; it is a religion of the art of life. The beverage grew to be an excuse for the worship of purity and refinement, a sacred function at which the host and guest joined to produce for that occasion the utmost beatitude of the mundane.”

ArtFormReligionProduceGrewWorshipFunctionSacredDrinkingExcuseOccasionsTeaPurityHostGuestsMundaneRefinementBeverages
Book:The Book of Tea: Classic Edition
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