Which set of these quotes do you prefer?
By Woodpigeon
@Woodpigeon (3710)
Ireland
April 23, 2007 9:36am CST
I was reading through my copy of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations and ran across these quotes that really resonated with me. Though they were uttered hundreds of years ago, they still seem to apply to modern life! What do you think about the quotes, do you think they still apply or are they outdated? Do you like one, or one set of quotes in particular? Why?
The first set is from Moliere who lived between 1622-1673.
"A woman always has her revenge ready."
"The more we love our friends, the less we flatter them; it is by excusing nothing that pure love shows itself."
"I prefer an accomodating vice to an obstinate virtue."
The other set of quotes is by Francois, Duc de la Rochefoucauld. He lived between 1623-1680. Another set of oldies but goodies!
"If we had no faults of our own, we would not take so much pleasure in noticing those of others."
"True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen."
"Old people like to give good advice, as solace for no longer being able to provide bad examples."
I love the Duc's quotes, especially. How about you?
2 people like this
4 responses
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
24 Apr 07
I thnk some of these things are timeless, and don't they say (who said it, I should look it up?) something about how there are no original ideas left. Everything has already been written?
1 person likes this
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
24 Apr 07
Yes, I believe it is always best to arrive prepared!
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@creativedreamweaver (7297)
• United States
23 Apr 07
I love Bartlett's. I have a very old version, 1882, as well as a newer version. Sometimes, I just browse and flip through the pages, hoping something will catch my eye. It is great inspiration. It's also a great way to get writing prompts to stir up those creative juices. LOL. My favorite quote from above is also by Duc de la Rochefoucauld..."Old people like to give good advice, as solace for no longer being able to provide bad examples." How true that is, hehehe. I used to be one of those young people.
One of my all time favorite quotes is by Langston Hughes. "Hold fast to your dreams; for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
23 Apr 07
I love the bad examples quote, as well.
I looked up yur Langston and he lives on Page 708 in my Batrlett's. I love his quote, " I've known rivers:
I have known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flowof human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers."
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing!
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@creativedreamweaver (7297)
• United States
23 Apr 07
Glad you like him. He is one of my favorite prolific writers.
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@shakeroo (3986)
• Malaysia
24 Apr 07
I prefer the "True love is like ghosts, which everybody talks about and few have seen." since it is true that many people like to talk about true love and yet not many really know the meaning of those two words. We tend to love someone when things are going great but we quickly change when things do not go the right way.
