black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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

Quintilian

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
It is much easier to try one’s hand at many things than to concentrate one’s powers on one thing.
QUINTILIAN

Easy Hand Oneself Power Try
God, that all-powerful Creator of nature and architect of the world, has impressed man with no character so proper to distinguish him from other animals, as by the faculty of speech.
QUINTILIAN

Animal Creation Faculty God Impression Nature Powerful Talk
Lately we have had many losses.
QUINTILIAN

Late Lose One Liner
Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Mistake Mom Virtue
A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue.
QUINTILIAN

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

Assistance Capacity Natural Rule
In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept.
QUINTILIAN

Experience Value
The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression.
QUINTILIAN

Admission Creation Excellence Impression Pretend
From writing rapidly it does not result that one writes well, but from writing well it results that one writes rapidly.
QUINTILIAN

Fast Oneself Result Writing
Forbidden pleasures alone are loved immoderately; when lawful, they do not excite desire.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Desire Excite Feeling Law
Although virtue receives some of its excellencies from nature, yet it is perfected by education.
QUINTILIAN

Excellence Nature Perfection Virtue
Study depends on the goodwill of the student, a quality that cannot be secured by compulsion.
QUINTILIAN

Compulsion Goodness Secure Study
(Slaughter) means blood and iron.
QUINTILIAN

Blood Death Iron
Nothing is more dangerous to men than a sudden change of fortune.
QUINTILIAN

Change Dangerous Fortune
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Lost Perfection Vanish
It is easier to do many things than to do one thing continuously for a long time.
QUINTILIAN

Different Easy Time
A religion without mystics is a philosophy.
QUINTILIAN

One Liner Philosophy Religion
Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty.
QUINTILIAN

Beautiful Exact Similar
To swear, except when necessary, is becoming to an honorable man.
QUINTILIAN

Exception Honor Man Necessary
Everything that has a beginning comes to an end.
QUINTILIAN

Advice Beginning End Proverb
Nature herself has never attempted to effect great changes rapidly.
QUINTILIAN

Change Greatness Nature
There is no one who would not rather appear to know than to be taught.
QUINTILIAN

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

Poet Quick Writing Yourself

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