True contentment depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Diogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONTrue contentment depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Diogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONIt is curious that some learned dunces, because they can write nonsense in languages that are dead, should despise those that talk sense in languages that are living.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONLife isn’t like a book. Life isn’t logical or sensible or orderly. Life is a mess most of the time. And theology must be lived in the midst of that mess.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONThe mistakes of the fool are known to the world, but not to himself. The mistakes of the wise man are known to himself, but not to the world.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONIn death itself there can be nothing terrible, for the act of death annihilates sensation; but there are many roads to death, and some of them justly formidable, even to the bravest.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONIt is better to meet danger than to wait for it. He that is on a lee shore, and foresees a hurricane, stands out to sea and encounters a storm to avoid a shipwreck.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONThere are two way of establishing a reputation, one to be praised by honest people and the other to be accused by rogues. It is best, however, to secure the first one, because it will always be accompanied by the latter.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONThere is this difference between happiness and wisdom; he that thinks himself the happiest man, really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONWe are sure to be losers when we quarrel with ourselves; it is civil war.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONSilence is foolish if we are wise, but wise if we are foolish.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONWords indeed are but the signs and counters of knowledge, and their currency should be strictly regulated by the capital which they represent.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONWomen do not transgress the bounds of decorum so often as men; but when they do, they go greater lengths.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONGod will excuse our prayers for ourselves whenever we are prevented from them by being occupied in such good works as to entitle us to the prayers of others.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONTaking things not as they ought to be, but as they are, I fear it must be allowed that Macchiavelli will always have more disciples than Jesus.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONBed is a bundle of paradoxes: we go to it with reluctance, yet we quit it with regret.
CHARLES CALEB COLTONAs the gout seems privileged to attack the bodies of the wealthy, so ennui seems to exert a similar prerogative over their minds.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON