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Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty.

Quintilian

Write quickly and you will never write well; write well, and you will soon write quickly.
QUINTILIAN

Poet Quick Writing Yourself
Men, even when alone, lighten their labors by song, however rude it may be.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Light Man Rude
We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.
QUINTILIAN

Difficult Excuse Ourselves
It is easier to do many things than to do one thing continuously for a long time.
QUINTILIAN

Different Easy Time
When we cannot hope to win, it is an advantage to yield.
QUINTILIAN

Advantage Hope Protection Win
One should aim not at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.
QUINTILIAN

Goal Perspective Possible
It seldom happens that a premature shoot of genius ever arrives at maturity.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Genius Maturity
A liar ought to have a good memory.
QUINTILIAN

Goodness Lying Memories
We should not speak so that it is possible for the audience to understand us, but so that it is impossible for them to misunderstand us.
QUINTILIAN

Impossible Misunderstand Possible Talk Understand
We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.
QUINTILIAN

Form Mindset Reading Wide
For it would have been better that man should have been born dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor.
QUINTILIAN

Better Born Destruction Dumb Man Neighbor Reason
Nature herself has never attempted to effect great changes rapidly.
QUINTILIAN

Change Greatness Nature
When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield.
QUINTILIAN

Defeat Protection Wisdom
Nothing can be pleasing which is not also becoming.
QUINTILIAN

Deep Please
Suffering itself does less afflict the senses than the apprehension of suffering.
QUINTILIAN

Afflict Sense Suffering
Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Mistake Mom Virtue

Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty.

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Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty.

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Popular Authors

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