black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

For the mind is all the easier to teach before it is set.

Quintilian

Nothing can be pleasing which is not also becoming.
QUINTILIAN

Deep Please
Men of quality are in the wrong to undervalue, as they often do, the practise of a fair and quick hand in writing; for it is no immaterial accomplishment.
QUINTILIAN

Accomplishment Man Quality Value Wrong
Virtue, though she gets her beginning from nature, yet receives her finishing touches from learning.
QUINTILIAN

Beginning Herself Learning Nature Touch Virtue
Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty.
QUINTILIAN

Beautiful Exact Similar
The gifts of nature are infinite in their variety, and mind differs from mind almost as much as body from body.
QUINTILIAN

Body Infinite Mindset Nature
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
The obscurity of a writer is generally in proportion to his incapacity.
QUINTILIAN

Capacity Writing
A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue.
QUINTILIAN

Cost Expense Laughter Virtue
While we ponder when to begin, it becomes too late to do.
QUINTILIAN

Action Beginning Late
A mediocre speech supported by all the power of delivery will be more impressive than the best speech unaccompanied by such power.
QUINTILIAN

Accompany Average Impression Support
Those who wish to appear learned to fools, appear as fools to the learned.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Fools Learning
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
Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.
QUINTILIAN

Gift Natural Rule Technical
That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.
QUINTILIAN

Admission Ear Easy Mindset Offend
Satiety is a neighbor to continued pleasures.
QUINTILIAN

Happiness Pleasure Satire

For the mind is all the easier to teach before it is set.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

For the mind is all the easier to teach before it is set.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Quintilian Quotes