Mankind Quotes - Page 16

• It would be glorious to see mankind at leisure for once. It is nothing but work, work, work.

  Henry David Thoreau

  Relaxation, Would Be, Leisure

  Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.1156, Delphi Classics

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• The individual succumbs, but he does not die if he has left something to mankind.

  Will Durant

  Doe, Individual, Dies

  Will Durant, Ariel Durant (1957). “The Story of Civilization: The Reformation”

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• We are so presumptuous that we think we can separate our personal interest from that of humanity, and slander mankind without compromising ourselves.

  Luc de Clapiers

  Thinking, Humanity, Compromise

  Jean de La Bruyère, Luc de Clapiers marquis de Vauvenargues (1903). “La Bruyère and Vauvenargues: Selections from the Characters, Reflexions and Maxims”

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• How full of error is the judgment of mankind! They wonder at results when they are ignorant of the reasons

  Pietro Metastasio

  Errors, Ignorant, Wonder

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• Am I caught in a self-centred, narrow little cell which refuses to look beyond? Do I see it when you come along and tell me that my brain is the brain of all mankind?

  Jiddu Krishnamurti

  Destiny, Self, Cells

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• The art of cookery is the art of poisoning mankind, by rendering the appetite still importunate, when the wants of nature are supplied.

  Francois Fenelon

  Art, Want, Appetite

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• Should all despair That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind Would hang themselves.

  William Shakespeare

  Wife, Despair, Should

  1609 Leontes. The Winter's Tale, act1, sc.2, l.199-201.

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• The monstrous evils of the twentieth century have shown us that the greediest money grubbers are gentle doves compared with money-hating wolves like Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler, who in less than three decades killed or maimed nearly a hundred million men, women, and children and brought untold suffering to a large portion of mankind.

  Eric Hoffer

  Children, Hate, Men

  Eric Hoffer (1982). “Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer”, HarperCollins Publishers

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• It seems that when we are oppressed by the knowledge of our worthlessness we do not see ourselves as lower than some and higher than others, but as lower than the lowest of mankind. We hate then the whole world, and we would pour our wrath upon the whole of creation.

  Eric Hoffer

  Hate, Wrath, World

  Eric Hoffer (1980). “The True Believer”

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• Hypocrisy itself does great honor, or rather justice, to religion, and tacitly acknowledges it to be an ornament to human nature. The hypocrite would not be at so much pains to put on the appearance of virtue, if he did not know it was the most proper and effectual means to gain the love and esteem of mankind.

  Joseph Addison

  Pain, Hypocrite, Mean

  Joseph Addison, Sir Richard Steel (1858). “The Spectator”, p.304

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• Thus I live in the world rather as a Spectator of mankind, than as one of the species, by which means I have made myself a speculative statesman, soldier, merchant, and artisan, without ever meddling with any practical part of life.

  Joseph Addison

  Mean, Soldier, World

  1711 In The Spectator, no.1,1Mar.

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• I am the last man in the world to say that the succor which is given us from America is not in itself something to rejoice at greatly. But I also say that I can see more in the knowledge that America is going to win a right to be at the conference table when the terms of peace are discussed. . . . It would have been a tragedy for mankind if America had not been there, and there with all her influence and power.

  David Lloyd George

  Men, Winning, Influence And Power

  Speech at the Meeting of American Residents in London, April 12, 1917.

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• The bulk of mankind are schoolboys through life.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Teaching

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1858). “The life and letters of Thomas Jefferson: being his autobiography and select correspondence, from original manuscripts”, p.163

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• For, to make deserts, God, who rules mankind, Begins with kings, and ends the work by wind.

  Victor Hugo

  Kings, Wind, Desert

  Victor Hugo (1900*). “Works”

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• Every human heart is human.

  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

  Inspirational, Heart, Humanity

  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1860). “The Song of Hiawatha: Illustr., from Designs by George H. Thomas”, p.4

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• Mankind was never so happily inspired as when it made a cathedral: a thing as simple and specious as a statue to the first glance, and yet on examination, as lively and interesting as a forest in detail.

  Robert Louis Stevenson

  Simple, Interesting, Humanity

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• This religion (Islam) recognizes all men as brothers. It accepts all human beings as equals before God, and as equal members in the Human Family of Mankind.

  Malcolm X

  Brother, Men, Religion

  Malcolm X (1992). “February 1965: the final speeches”, Pathfinder Pr

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• The precept, "Know yourself," was not solely intended to obviate the pride of mankind; but likewise that we might understand our own worth.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  Pride, Might, Know Yourself

  Marcus Tullius Cicero, Pierre-Joseph Thoulier Olivet, Alexander WISHART (1773). “Thoughts of Cicero, on the following subjects, viz. I. Religion, II. Man ... XII. Miscellaneous thoughts. Published in Latin and French by the Abbé d'Olivet; to which is now added, an English translation, with notes. By Alexander Wishart”, p.41

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• It is easy for a man who sits idle at home, and has nobody to please but himself, to ridicule or censure the common practices of mankind.

  Samuel Johnson

  Home, Men, Practice

  Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”

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• It is thus that mutual cowardice keeps us in peace. Were one half of mankind brave and one cowards, the brave would be always beating the cowards. Were all brave, they would lead a very uneasy life; all would be continually fighting; but being all cowards, we go on very well.

  Samuel Johnson

  Fighting, Brave, Coward

  In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 3, p. 326 (28 April 1778)

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• The history of mankind is little else than a narrative of designs which have failed and hopes that have been disappointed.

  Samuel Johnson

  History, Design, Littles

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1810). “The Works of Samuel Johnson”, p.398

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• Let observation with extensive view, Survey mankind from China to Peru; Remark each anxious toil, each eager strife, And watch the busy scenes of crowded life.

  Samuel Johnson

  Travel, Views, Toil

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1837). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius /c by Arthur Murphy, Esq”, p.548

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• The evils of mankind are caused, not by the primary aggressiveness of individuals, but by their self-transcending identification with groups whose common denominator is low intelligence and high emotionality.

  Arthur Koestler

  Self, Evil, Groups

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• Mankind is an unco squad And muckle he may grieve thee.

  Robert Burns

  Grieving, Squad, May

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• And after hearing what our Church can say, If still our reason runs another way, That private reason 'tis more just to curb, Than by disputes the public peace disturb; For points obscure are of small use to learn, But common quiet is mankind's concern.

  John Dryden

  Running, Church, Doctrine

  John Dryden, Paul Hammond, David Hopkins (2007). “Dryden: Selected Poems”, p.300, Pearson Education

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