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One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.

Quintilian

While we ponder when to begin, it becomes too late to do.
QUINTILIAN

Action Beginning Late
Fear of the future is worse than one’s present fortune.
QUINTILIAN

Fear Fortune Future Present
Usage is the best language teacher.
QUINTILIAN

Language One Liner Teacher
We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.
QUINTILIAN

Difficult Excuse Ourselves
Virtue, though she gets her beginning from nature, yet receives her finishing touches from learning.
QUINTILIAN

Beginning Herself Learning Nature Touch Virtue
A Woman who is generous with her money is to be praised; not so, if she is generous with her person.
QUINTILIAN

Generosity Herself Money Person Woman
Suffering itself does less afflict the senses than the apprehension of suffering.
QUINTILIAN

Afflict Sense Suffering
A man who tries to surpass another may perhaps succeed in equaling in not actually surpassing him, but one who merely follows can never quite come up with him: a follower, necessarily, is always behind.
QUINTILIAN

Equality Follow Himself Man Quite Success
It is the nurse that the child first hears, and her words that he will first attempt to imitate.
QUINTILIAN

Children Himself Imitation Nurse
When we cannot hope to win, it is an advantage to yield.
QUINTILIAN

Advantage Hope Protection Win
It is much easier to try one’s hand at many things than to concentrate one’s powers on one thing.
QUINTILIAN

Easy Hand Oneself Power Try
One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.
QUINTILIAN

Assistance Capacity Natural Rule
Nothing is more dangerous to men than a sudden change of fortune.
QUINTILIAN

Change Dangerous Fortune
One should aim not at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.
QUINTILIAN

Goal Perspective Possible
A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue.
QUINTILIAN

Cost Expense Laughter Virtue
For all the best teachers pride themselves on having a large number of pupils and think themselves worthy of a bigger audience.
QUINTILIAN

Audience Best Big Pride Teacher Worth

One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.

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One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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