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That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.

Quintilian

The obscurity of a writer is generally in proportion to his incapacity.
QUINTILIAN

Capacity Writing
An evil-speaker differs from an evil-doer only in the want of opportunity.
QUINTILIAN

Difference Evil Opportunity
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
Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.
QUINTILIAN

Gift Natural Rule Technical
A liar should have a good memory.
QUINTILIAN

Goodness Lying Memory
If you direct your whole thought to work itself, none of the things which invade eyes or ears will reach the mind.
QUINTILIAN

Direct Eyes Mindset Reach Work
Our minds are like our stomaches; they are whetted by the change of their food, and variety supplies both with fresh appetite.
QUINTILIAN

Change Food Fresh Mindset Stomach
It is the heart which inspires eloquence.
QUINTILIAN

Heart Inspirational One Liner
There is no one who would not rather appear to know than to be taught.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Teaching
We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.
QUINTILIAN

Form Mindset Reading Wide
The soul languishing in obscurity contracts a kind of rust, or abandons itself to the chimera of presumption; for it is natural for it to acquire something, even when separated from any one.
QUINTILIAN

Kind Natural Oneself Separate Soul
Forbidden pleasures alone are loved immoderately; when lawful, they do not excite desire.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Desire Excite Feeling Law
Nature herself has never attempted to effect great changes rapidly.
QUINTILIAN

Change Greatness Nature
Consequently the student who is devoid of talent will derive no more profit from this work than barren soil from a treatise on agriculture.
QUINTILIAN

Agriculture Profit Student Talent Work
Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Mistake Mom Virtue
While we ponder when to begin, it becomes too late to do.
QUINTILIAN

Action Beginning Late

That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.

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That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.

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