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Reflection Quotes

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Reflection Quotes

“Reflection is the business of man; a sense of his state is his first duty: but who remembereth himself in joy? Is it not in mercy then that sorrow is allotted unto us?”

Men Firsts States Joy Duty Sorrow Reflection Mercy

Author:William Shakespeare

“For take thy ballaunce if thou be so wise, And weigh the winds that under heaven doth blow; Or weigh the light that in the east doth rise; Or weigh the thought that from man's mind doth flow.”

Ifs Men Mind Light Heaven Wise Wind Reflection Flow Blow East Folly

Author:Edmund Spenser

“He who reflects on another man's want of breeding, shows he wants it as much himself”

Men Want Shows Reflection Another Man Breeding

Book:Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans: Top Biography

Source: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans: Top Biography

“There is something in the character of every man which cannot be broken in--the skeleton of his character; and to try to alter this is like training a sheep for draught purposes. GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG, The Reflections of Lichtenberg We become familiar with the outsides of men, as with the outsides of houses, and think we know them, while we are ignorant of so much that is passing within them.”

Thinking Knows Men Trying Character Purpose House Broken Training Reflection Every Man Passing Ignorant Familiar Passings Sheep Skeletons Draught

Author:Christian Nestell Bovee

“For the ordinary man, whose mind is a checkerboard of criss-crossing reflections, opinions, and prejudices, bare attention is virtually impossible.”

Men Mind Attention Opinion Impossible Ordinary Reflection Prejudice Crossings Ordinary Man Checkerboard

Book:The three pillars of Zen: teaching, practice, and enlightenment

Source: The three pillars of Zen: teaching, practice, and enlightenment

“One of the greatest and also the commonest of faults is for men to believe that, because they never hear their shortcomings spoken of, or read about them in cold print, others can have no knowledge of them. GEORG CHRISTOPH LICHTENBERG, The Reflections of Lichtenberg We are often more agreeable through our faults than our good qualities.”

Men Believe Quality Cold Reflection Faults Print Shortcomings Good Quality

Author:Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“He who knows himself properly can very soon learn to know all other men. It is all reflection.”

Knows Men Reflection

Author:Georg C. Lichtenberg

“There is a saying that no man has tasted the full flavour of life until he has known poverty, love and war. The justness of this reflection commends it to the lover of condensed philosophy. The three conditions embrace about all there is in life worth knowing. A surface thinker might deem that wealth should be added to the list. Not so. When a poor man finds a long-hidden quarter-dollar that has slipped through a rip into his vest lining, he sounds the pleasure of life with a deeper plummet than any millionaire can hope to cast.”

Source: Delphi Complete Works of O. Henry (Illustrated)

“Comedy is a game played to throw reflections upon social life, and it deals with human nature in the drawing-room of civilized men and women, where we have no dust of the struggling outer world, no mire, no violent crashes, to make the correctness of the representation convincing.”

Source: The Complete Works of George Meredith

“Success serves men as a pedestal. It makes them seem greater when not measured by reflection.”

Men Seems Success Greater Reflection Pedestal

Book:Pensées of Joubert

Source: Pensées of Joubert

“If all things in this universe exist, it is because they participate in the Being of God, if there are some things with life, it is because they are reflections of the life of God; if there are beings endowed with intellect and will - like men and angels - it's because they are a participation of the Sovereign Intellect which is God.”

Ifs Men Universe Reflection Angel All Things Intellect Sovereign Participation

Author:Fulton J. Sheen

“The young man [Turgot] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his studies, his reading, his professors, his associates, all were combined to keep from him any results of observation or reflection save those prescribed: probably, of all means for stifling healthy and helpful thought, a theological seminary, as then conducted whether Catholic or Protestant, Jewish or Mohammedan, was the most perfect.”

“Ought a man to be confident that he deserves his good fortune, and think much of himself when he has overcome a nation, or city, or empire; or does fortune give this as an example to the victor also of the uncertainty of human affairs, which never continue in one stay? For what time can there be for us mortals to feel confident, when our victories over others especially compel us to dread fortune, and while we are exulting, the reflection that the fatal day comes now to one, now to another, in regular succession, dashes our joy.”

Source: Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans: Complete

“Do we regard language as more public, more ceremonial, than thought? Just as family men condemn the profanity on the stage that they use constantly in conversation, in the same way we may look to written language as an idealization rather than a reflection of ourselves.”

Men Way Looks May Use Language Written Stage Conversation Reflection Regard Profanity Family Man Written Language

Book:States of Desire Revisited: Travels in Gay America

Source: States of Desire Revisited: Travels in Gay America

“Life is more than thought: what a man feels, and what his senses awaken in him, are more indispensable to his life's fullness than subsequent reflection on their significance. Both Stirner and Nietzsche have elaborated Faust's opening speech in which he bemoans his wasted years in academia: this speech is Goethe's own impeachment of Kant and Hegel . Philosophy proceeds always under the risk of making a fetish of thinking.”

Thinking Men Feels Years Philosophy Life Is Risk Speech Reflection Senses Opening Significance Indispensable Fullness Academia Fetish Hegel Impeachment Faust

Author:John Carroll

“Anytime you're with somebody, you become a reflection of that person. I believe the first five years of our relationship was me grooming her, getting her tough and getting her ready for all of this and how to deal with it. The last was just her being a strong Black woman who has her man's back.”

Men Years Firsts Believe Persons Lasts Strong I Believe Black Deals Five Ready Reflection Tough Five Years Our Relationship Black Women Grooming

Author:Snoop Dogg

“In a Western or a thriller there is often room for reflection upon the coercive necessities; even, occasionally, some attempt to pose other possibilities. In the horror movies there is finally a Hobbesian state of nature: 'continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short'.”

Men States Film Poor Rooms Danger Possibility Horror Reflection Hollywood Western Violent Solitary Nasty Thrillers Violent Death

Author:Andrew Tudor

“To many people Michael Jackson seems an elusive personality, but to those who work with him, he is not. This talented artist is a sensitive man, warm, funny, and full of insight. Michael's book 'Moonwalk', provides a startling glimpse of the artist at work and the artist in reflection.”

People Men Book Seems Artist Personality Reflection Insight Warm Sensitive Glimpse Elusive Sensitive Man

Author:Jackie Kennedy

“North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms has signed a deal with Random House to write his memoirs. Scholars will no doubt benefit from the reflections of a man who was wrong on every major issue for 40 years. Helms' aides say the proceeds from the book will be donated to the non-profit Jesse Helms Center where they apparently have more experience burning than publishing them.”

Men Writing Years Book House Deals Issues Doubt Benefits Majors Reflection Profit Memoir Burning No Doubt Scholar Publishing Senators Carolina North Carolina Helm Non Profit

Author:Paul Begala

“The world sees only the reflection of merit; therefore when you come to know a really great man intimately, you may as often find him above as below his reputation.”

Knows Men World May Reflection Reputation Merit Great Men Popularity Really Great

Book:The Wisdom of Goethe

Source: The Wisdom of Goethe

“In a democracy such as ours the leading minds seldom achieve a place of permanent influence. And the men who sit in Congress or even in the White House are usually not our leading minds. They are not the thinkers. Still less have they time for reflection.”

Men Mind Stills Government House White Democracy Influence Achieve He Man Reflection Congress Permanent White House Thinker

Book:My Several Worlds: A Personal Record

Source: My Several Worlds: A Personal Record

“If there be a pleasure on earth which angels cannot enjoy, and which they might almost envy man the possession of, it is the power of relieving distress--if there be a pain which devils might pity man for enduring, it is the death-bed reflection that we have possessed the power of doing good, but that we have abused and perverted it to purposes of ill.”

Ifs Men Might Earth Pain Purpose Enjoy Pleasure Bed Reflection Devil Angel Charity Endure Ill Possession Envy Pity Possessed Distress Doing Good Death Bed

Book:L.P.

Source: L.P.

“Like the rainbow, peace rests upon the earth, but its arch is lost in heaven. Heaven bathes it in hues of light--it springs up amid tears and clouds--it is a reflection of the eternal sun--it is an assurance of calm--it is the sign of a great covenant between God and man--it is an emanation from the distant orb of immortal light.”

Men Light Earth Lost Heaven Peace Sun Tears Eternal Spring Reflection Calm Clouds Immortal Rainbow Assurance Covenant Hue Arches Orbs

Author:Charles Caleb Colton

“Reflection brakes men cowards. There is no object that can be put in competition with life, unless it is viewed through the medium of passion, and we are hurried away by the impulse of the moment.”

Men Moments Passion Objects Reflection Competition Mediums Impulse Coward Brake

Author:William Hazlitt

“Just as long as newspapers and magazines are controlled by men, every woman upon them must write articles which are reflections of men's ideas. As long as that continues, women's ideas and deepest convictions will never get before the public.”

Men Writing Long Ideas Reflection Conviction Newspapers Magazines Controlled Articles

Author:Susan B. Anthony

“As a man without forethought scarcely deserves the name of a man, so forethought without reflection is but a metaphorical phrase for the instinct of a beast.”

Men Names Reflection Deserve Instinct Phrases Beast Metaphorical Forethought

Book:Coleridge's Aids to reflection: with the author's last corrections

Source: Coleridge's Aids to reflection: with the author's last corrections

“A woman's friendship borders more closely on love than man's. Men affect each other in the reflection of noble or friendly acts; whilst women ask fewer proofs and more signs and expressions of attachment.”

Men Asks Friendship Expression Reflection Noble Proof Borders Friendly Attachment Fewer

Book:Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Source: Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

“A man's diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.”

Men Age Action Records Middle Youth Reflection Old Age Sentiments Diaries Middle Ages

Author:John Quincy Adams

“Think not thy love to God merits God's love to thee; His acceptance of thy duty crowns His own gifts in thee; man's love to God is nothing but a faint reflection of God's love to man.”

Thinking Men God Acceptance Duty Reflection Thee Merit Crowns God's Love

Book:Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

Source: Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

“Well, it is a humiliating reflection, that the straightest road to a man's heart is through his palate.”

Men Wells Heart Food Reflection Humiliating Palate

Book:Shadows and Sunbeams

Source: Shadows and Sunbeams

“My ex-girl told me, "I love you so much, and I know it's just a phase you're going through." When a woman comes at you like that, you look at her as being so mature because she understands if I'm cheating, it's not her problem, it's mine. When a man cheats, it's not a reflection of what she's not.”

Ifs Knows Men Looks Problem Girl Love You Mines Reflection Cheating Mature Phases Cheat Exes Love You So Much I Love You So Much Cheating Men

Author:Tyrese Gibson

“the system which admits the unworthy to the vote provided they are men, and shuts out the worthy provided they are women, is so unjust and illogical that its perpetuation is a sad reflection upon American thinking.”

Thinking Men Reflection Vote Worthy Inequality Unjust Unworthy Suffrage Illogical

Author:Carrie Chapman Catt

“One might feel indignant at the injustice which deals out what is called fame with so unequal a hand, were it not for the reflection that men who are competent to add to the intellectual wealth of the world, and enlarge the domain of knowledge, have learned to take popular applause at its true value, and to find in the faithful discharge of honorable duty a satisfaction which is its own reward.”

Source: Life and Campaigns of George B. McClellan, Major-general U. S. Army

“There is a subject - there is a research that says a man thinks about sex every 12 seconds. And so when an artist expresses something that's sexual in music it is a reflection of our reality. If we want that reality changed, then we have to do things that affect the core.”

Ifs Thinking Men Want Reality Artist Sex Subjects Changed Research Reflection Core Seconds

Author:Russell Simmons

“A man, engaged in his simple reflections in everyday life, will comprehend neither the possibility, nor the benefits of self-sacrifice, but, when given ("qu'on lui donne", Fr.) a great cause to defend, and he will find only natural to sacrifice oneself for it.”

Men Self Given Causes Natural Simple Sacrifice Possibility Benefits Reflection Everyday Oneself Engaged Everyday Life Self Sacrifice Donne

Author:African Spir

“Piety is the only proper and adequate relief of decaying man. He that grows old without religions hopes, as he declines into imbecility, and feels pains and sorrows incessantly crowding upon him, falls into a gulf of bottomless misery, in which every reflection must plunge him deeper and deeper.”

Men Feels Pain Fall Grows Sorrow Reflection Misery Deeper Relief Decline Adequate Piety Plunge Incessantly Imbecility Pain And Sorrow

Book:The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D..: The Rambler

Source: The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D..: The Rambler

“The reflections that the boys of this age are to be the men of the next; that they should be prepared to receive the holy charge which we are cherishing to deliver over to them; that in establishing an institution of wisdom for them, we secure it to all our future generations; that in fulfilling this duty, we bring home to our own bosoms the sweet consolation of seeing our sons rising under a luminous tuition, to destinies of high promise; these are considerations which will occur to all.”

Source: Jefferson: Writings

“That men have an interest in knowing the world which surrounds them, and consequently that their reflection should have been applied to it at an early date, is something that everyone will readily admit.”

Men World Should Has Beens Interest Knowing Reflection Should Have Surround Should Have Been

Author:Emile Durkheim

“Man for all his genius is but an echo of the original Voice, a reflection of the uncreated Light.”

Men Light Voice Genius Reflection Originals Echoes

Book:The Knowledge of the Holy

Source: The Knowledge of the Holy

“The reflection and experience of many years have led me to consider the holy writings not only as the most authentic and instructive in themselves, but as the clue to all other history. They tell us what man is, and they alone tell us why he is what he is: a contradictory creature that seeing and approving of what is good, pursues and performs what is evil. All of private and public life is there displayed. ... From the same pure fountain of wisdom we learn that vice destroys freedom; that arbitrary power is founded on public immorality.”

Men Writing Years Life Is Evil Seeing Holy Pure Creatures Reflection Vices Pursue Clue Fountain Arbitrary Contradictory Public Life Immorality Approving

Author:Gouverneur Morris

“In youth it is the outward aspect of things that most engages us; while in age, thought or reflection is the predominating qualityof the mind. Hence, youth is the time for poetry, and age is more inclined to philosophy. In practical affairs it is the same: a man shapes his resolutions in youth more by the impression that the outward world makes upon him; whereas, when he is old, it is thought that determines his actions.”

Men World Mind Philosophy Age Action Youth Shapes Reflection Aspect Affair Determine Practicals Impression Resolution

Book:Counsels and Maxims: Top of Schopenhauer

Source: Counsels and Maxims: Top of Schopenhauer

“On Man, on Nature, and on Human Life, Musing is solitude”

Men Humans Acceptance Solitude Reflection Human Life Musings

Author:William Wordsworth

“The one quality that can be developed by studious reflection and practice is the leadership of men.”

Men Leadership Quality Practice Reflection Studious

Author:Dwight D. Eisenhower

“A man of sense, though born without wit, often lives to have wit. His memory treasures up ideas and reflections; he compares themwith new occurrences, and strikes out new lights from the collision. The consequence is sometimes bons mots, and sometimes apothegms.”

Men Ideas Sometimes Light Born Memories Reflection Consequence Strikes Wit Treasure Compare Collision

Author:Horace Walpole

“The slogan offers a counterweight to the general dispersion of thought by holding it fast to a single, utterly succinct and unforgettable expression, one which usually inspires men to immediate action. It abolishes reflection: the slogan does not argue, it asserts and commands.”

Men Doe Action Inspire Expression Offers Reflection Arguing Command Slogans Abolish Unforgettable Immediate Action Dispersion

Author:Johan Huizinga

“It seems certain, that though a man, in a flush of humour, after intense reflection on the many contradictions and imperfections of human reason, may entirely renounce all belief and opinion, it is impossible for him to persevere in this total scepticism, or make it appear in his conduct for a few hours.”

Source: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

“Men are products, expressions, reflections; they live to the extent that they coincide with their epoch, or to the extent that they differ markedly from it.”

Men Expression Products Reflection Epoch

Author:Jose Marti

“Never yield to that temptation, which, to most young men, is very strong, of exposing other people's weaknesses and infirmities, for the sake either of diverting the company, or of showing your own superiority. You may get the laugh on your side by it for the present; but you will make enemies by it for ever; and even those who laugh with you then, will, upon reflection, fear, and consequently hate you.”

Source: Lord Chesterfield's Letters

“Men's hearts and faces are always wide asunder; women's are not only in close connection, but are mirror-like in the instant power of reflection.”

Men Heart Faces Women Reflection Connections Mirrors Wide Instant

Author:Nicolas Chamfort

“We have more poets than judges and interpreters of poetry. It is easier to write an indifferent poem than to understand a good one. There is, indeed, a certain low and moderate sort of poetry, that a man may well enough judge by certain rules of art; but the true, supreme, and divine poesy is equally above all rules and reason. And whoever discerns the beauty of it with the most assured and most steady sight sees no more than the quick reflection of a flash of lightning.”

Source: Works, Comprising His Essays, Letters, and Journey Through Germany and Italy: With Notes from All the Commentators, Biographical and Bibliographical Notices &c., &c