For the merchant, even honesty is a financial speculation.
—Charles Baudelaire, c. 1865
Archive
Quotes
The best augury of a man’s success in his profession is that he thinks it the finest in the world.
—George Eliot, 1876I am ill every time it blows hard, and nothing but my enthusiastic love for the profession keeps me one hour at sea.
—Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1804It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street.
—Mary Lease, c. 1890The diseases of the present have little in common with the diseases of the past save that we die of them.
—Agnes Repplier, 1929The pleasure we hold in esteem for the course of our lives ought to have a greater share of our time dedicated to it; we should refuse no occasion nor omit any opportunity of drinking, and always have it in our minds.
—Michel de Montaigne, 1580Worldly fame is but a breath of wind that blows now this way, now that, and changes names as it changes in direction.
—Dante Alighieri, c. 1315The best physician is he who can distinguish the possible from the impossible.
—Herophilus, c. 290 BCPut national causes first and personal grudges last.
—Sima Qian, c. 91 BCIt was funny how I could feel all alone and under surveillance at the same time.
—Cory Doctorow, 2013Soldiers in peace are like chimneys in summer.
—William Cecil, Lord Burghley, c. 1555The Church says that the earth is flat, but I know that it is round, for I have seen the shadow on the moon, and I have more faith in the shadow than in the Church.
—Ferdinand Magellan, c. 1510A family’s photograph album is generally about the extended family—and, often, is all that remains of it.
—Susan Sontag, 1977