black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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

The prosperous can not easily form a right idea of misery.
QUINTILIAN

Easy Ideas Misery Prosperity Right
Usage is the best language teacher.
QUINTILIAN

Language One Liner Teacher
By writing quickly we are not brought to write well, but by writing well we are brought to write quickly.
QUINTILIAN

Difference Literature Poet Writing
A great part of art consists in imitation. For the whole conduct of life is based on this: that what we admire in others we want to do ourselves.
QUINTILIAN

Admire Art Consist Greatness Life Ourselves
It is easier to do many things than to do one thing continuously for a long time.
QUINTILIAN

Different Easy Time
He who speaks evil only differs from his who does evil in that he lacks opportunity.
QUINTILIAN

Evil Himself Opportunity Talk
Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Fools Virtue Wisdom
(Slaughter) means blood and iron.
QUINTILIAN

Blood Death Iron
Virtue, though she gets her beginning from nature, yet receives her finishing touches from learning.
QUINTILIAN

Beginning Herself Learning Nature Touch Virtue
Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.
QUINTILIAN

Gift Natural Rule Technical
Study depends on the goodwill of the student, a quality that cannot be secured by compulsion.
QUINTILIAN

Compulsion Goodness Secure Study
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
Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Mistake Mom Virtue
It is the nurse that the child first hears, and her words that he will first attempt to imitate.
QUINTILIAN

Children Himself Imitation Nurse
In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept.
QUINTILIAN

Experience Value
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
We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.
QUINTILIAN

Form Mindset Reading Wide
While we are examining into everything we sometimes find truth where we least expected it.
QUINTILIAN

Examination Expectation Time
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
Satiety is a neighbor to continued pleasures.
QUINTILIAN

Happiness Pleasure Satire
Men, even when alone, lighten their labors by song, however rude it may be.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Light Man Rude
Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty.
QUINTILIAN

Beautiful Exact Similar
Sayings designed to raise a laugh are generally untrue and never complimentary. Laughter is never far removed from derision.
QUINTILIAN

Complimentary Design Laughter Raise
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
Though ambition in itself is a vice, yet it is often the parent of virtues.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Parent Vice Virtue
A liar must have a good memory.
QUINTILIAN

Goodness Lying Memories
The learned understand the reason of art; the unlearned feel the pleasure.
QUINTILIAN

Art Feeling Learning Pleasure Reason Understand

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Quintilian Quotes