black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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

Quintilian

The perfection of art is to conceal art.
QUINTILIAN

Art Hide Perfection
In a crowd, on a journey, at a banquet even, a line of thought can itself provide its own seclusion.
QUINTILIAN

Crowd Journey Seclusion
For the mind is all the easier to teach before it is set.
QUINTILIAN

Easy Mindset Teaching
One should aim not at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.
QUINTILIAN

Goal Perspective Possible
Where evil habits are once settled, they are more easily broken than mended.
QUINTILIAN

Break Easy Evil Habit Repair Settle
Ambition is a vice, but it may be the father of virtue.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Father Vice Virtue
Fear of the future is worse than one’s present fortune.
QUINTILIAN

Fear Fortune Future Present
We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.
QUINTILIAN

Difficult Excuse Ourselves
Vain hopes are like certain dreams of those who wake.
QUINTILIAN

Awake Dreams Hope
It is the heart which inspires eloquence.
QUINTILIAN

Heart Inspirational One Liner
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Lost Perfection Vanish
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
Though ambition in itself is a vice, yet it is often the parent of virtues.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Parent Vice Virtue
There is no one who would not rather appear to know than to be taught.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Teaching
To swear, except when necessary, is becoming to an honorable man.
QUINTILIAN

Exception Honor Man Necessary
Although virtue receives some of its excellencies from nature, yet it is perfected by education.
QUINTILIAN

Excellence Nature Perfection Virtue

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

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Quintilian Quotes