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Quotes

The smell of rain is rich with life.

—Estela Portillo Trambley, 1975

Great cities must ever be centers of light and darkness, the home of the best and the worst of our race, holding within themselves the highest talent for good and evil.

—Matthew Hale Smith, 1868

Power is so apt to be insolent, and Liberty to be saucy, that they are very seldom upon good terms.

—George Savile, c. 1690

Any man could, if he were so inclined, be the sculptor of his own brain.

—Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 1897

The body is an instrument which only gives off music when it is used as a body.

—Anaïs Nin, 1935

When the stomach is full, it is easy to talk of fasting.

—St. Jerome, 395

The tune I remember, could I but keep the words.

—Virgil, 38 BC

Talk to me about the truth of religion and I’ll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I’ll listen submissively. But don’t come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you don’t understand.

—C.S. Lewis, 1961

The fear of war is worse than war itself.

—Seneca, c. 50

Living is an ailment that is relieved every sixteen hours by sleep. A palliative. Death is the cure.

—Sébastien-Roch Nicolas Chamfort, c. 1790

Kill a man, and you are an assassin. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill everyone, and you are a god.

—Jean Rostand, 1939

Recreations should be as sauces to your meat, to sharpen your appetite unto the duties of your calling, and not to glut yourselves with them.

—Thomas Gouge, 1672

What is the city but the people?

—William Shakespeare, 1608