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I rejoiced in my progress, mourned my weaknesses, and commiserated the universal instability of human conduct.

Petrarch

Where you are is of no moment, but only what you are doing there. It is not the place that ennobles you, but you the place, and this only by doing that which is great and noble.
PETRARCH

Greatness Moments Noble Place Yourself
I looked back at the summit of the mountain, which seemed but a cubit high in comparison with the height of human contemplation, were in not too often merged in the corruptions of the earth.
PETRARCH

Comparison Earth Mountain Myself
Events appear sad, pleasant, or painful, not because they are so in reality, but because we believe them to be so and the light in which we look at them depends upon our own judgment.
PETRARCH

Appearance Judgement Ourselves Pain Reality Sadness
To begin with myself, then, the utterances of men concerning me will differ widely, since in passing judgment almost every one is influenced not so much by truth as by preference, and good and evil report alike know no bounds.
PETRARCH

Beginning Bound Difference Influence Man Myself
Reality is always the foe of famous names.
PETRARCH

Foe Names Reality
Go, grieving rimes of mine, to that hard stone Whereunder lies my darling, lies my dear, And cry to her to speak from heaven’s sphere.
PETRARCH

Cry Grief Heaven Lying
An equal doom clipp’d Time’s blest wings of peace.
PETRARCH

Equality Peace Time Wings
Death is a sleep that ends our dreaming. Oh, that we may be allowed to wake before death wakes us.
PETRARCH

Death Dreams End Sleep Wake Up
I freeze and burn, love is bitter and sweet, my sighs are tempests and my tears are floods, I am in ecstasy and agony, I am possessed by memories of her and I am in exile from myself.
PETRARCH

Bitter Burn Freeze Memories Myself Sweet
Books have led some to learning and others to madness.
PETRARCH

Book Leadership Learning Madness
Man has not a greater enemy than himself.
PETRARCH

Enemy Greatness Himself Man
It is more honorable to be raised to a throne than to be born to one. Fortune bestows the one, merit obtains the other.
PETRARCH

Born Merit Throne
Often have I wondered with much curiosity as to our coming into this world and what will follow our departure.
PETRARCH

Curiosity Follow Wonder World
All pleasure in the world is a passing dream.
PETRARCH

Dreaming Pass Pleasure World
Five enemies of peace inhabit with us – avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.
PETRARCH

Ambition Enemy Enjoyment Jealous Peace
He loves but lightly who his love can tell.
PETRARCH

Himself Light Love

I rejoiced in my progress, mourned my weaknesses, and commiserated the universal instability of human conduct.

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I rejoiced in my progress, mourned my weaknesses, and commiserated the universal instability of human conduct.

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Popular Authors

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