Imatges de pàgina
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What one knows, it is useful sometimes to forget.--Publius Syrus.

There are more mockers than well-meaners, and more foolish quips than good precepts.

In conversation, avoid the extremes of petulance and reserve. -Cato.

Where the demand is a jest, the fittest answer is a scoff.Archimedes.

Aristotle says, when you can have any good thing, take it : and Plato says, if you do not take it, you are a great coxcomb.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.-Solomon.

They that slander the dead are like envious dogs, that bark and bite at bones.-Zeno.

Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue; to the end, we should hear and see more than we speak.Socrates.

Keep thy tongue, and keep thy friend; for few words cover much wisdom, and a fool being silent is thought wise.

Proud looks lose hearts, but courteous words win themFerdin.

He that knows how to speak, knows also when to be silent.— Archimedes.

To expose one's self to great dangers for trivial advantages, is to fish with a golden hook, where more may be lost than gained.-Augustus Cæsar.

We ought either to be silent, or to speak things that are better than silence.-Pythagoras.

Deride not the unfortunate.-Chilo.

EATING AND DRINKING.

Wine has drowned more than the sea.

-Publius Syrus.

The belly is an unthankful beast, never requiting the plea

sure done, but continually craving more than it needs.~ Crates.

The wicked man lives to eat and drink, but the good eats and drinks to live.-Plutarch.

The belly is the commanding part of the body.-Homer.

The first draught a man drinks ought to be for thirst, the second for nourishment, the third for pleasure, and the fourth for madness.-Anacharsis.

Excess came from Asia to Rome; Ambition came from Rome to all the world.

Drunkenness is a bewitching devil, a pleasant poison, and a sweet sin. Augustine.

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.-Solomon.

ELOQUENCE.

Brevity is a great praise of eloquence.-Cicero.

Orators are most vehement when they have the weakest cause, as men get on horseback when they cannot walk.Cicero.

It is easy to defend the innocent; but who is eloquent enough to defend the guilty?-Publius Syrus.

An orator without judgment is a horse without a bridle.— Theophrastus.

As the grace of man is in the mind, so the beauty of the mind is eloquence.-Cicero.

As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish.-Demosthenes.

Eloquence is of two kinds; that of the heart, which is called divine; the other external, and merely the organ of conceits, thoughts, and sophistry.-Cicero.

Unprofitable eloquence is like the cypress, which is great and tall, but bears no fruit.-Anon.

Poets are born, but orators are made. Anon.

FRIENDSHIP.

Friendship is stronger than kindred.-Publius Syrus. Reprove thy friend privately; commend him publicly.Solon.

It is better to decide a difference between enemies than friends; for one of our friends will certainly become an enemy, and one of our enemies a friend.-Bias.

Go slowly to the entertainments of thy friends, but quickly to their misfortunes.- Chilo.

It is no small grief to a good nature to try his friends.— Euripides.

FOLLY.

It is much better for a man to conceal his folly and ignorance than to discover the same.

There can be no greater folly in man, than by much labour to increase his goods, and with vain pleasure to lose his soul.-Gregory.

There is more hope of a fool, than him that is wise in his own conceit.-Solomon.

It is great folly for a man to muse much on such things as pass his understanding.

The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.-Sirach.

INDUSTRY.

Learn some useful art, so that you may be independent of the caprice of fortune.-Cato.

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Idleness is the sepulchre of a living man.—Anselm.

It is not for a man in authority to sleep a whole night.-Homer.

Flee sloth; for the indolence of the soul is the decay of the body.- Cato.

When a man goes out, let him consider what he is to do; when he returns, what he has done.-Cleobulus.

The three things most difficult are,-to keep a secret, to forget an injury, and to make good use of leisure.-Chilo. Prosperity engenders sloth.-Livy.

JUSTICE.

Valour would cease to be a virtue, if there were no injustice. -Agesilaus.

Delay in punishment is no privilege of pardon.

Not the pain, but the cause, makes the martyr.-Ambrose.
It becomes not a law-maker to be a law-breaker.-Bias.
Four things belong to a judge; to hear courteously, to answer
wisely, to consider soberly, and to give judgment without
partiality. Socrates.

No man may be both accuser and judge.—Plutarch.
The accused is not guilty till he be convicted.-Lactantius.

KINGS AND LAWS.

General calamities imply, in kings, general imbecility. Kings ought to be environed with good-will, instead of guards.-Bias.

It is the fault of princes if they are not esteemed; as they always have it in their power to procure the love of their subjects.-Philip of Macedon.

The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion, but his favour is as the dew on the grass.-Solomon.

The prince that is feared of many must, of necessity, fear

many.

A king ruleth as he ought, a tyrant as he lists; a king to the profit of all, a tyrant only to please a few.-Aristotle. Kings ought to shun the company of the vicious, for the evil they commit in his company is accounted his.-Plato.

It little profits a prince to be ruler of many kingdoms, and the slave of many vices.

A king ought to take good heed to his counsellors, in noting who soothe his lusts, and who intend the public profit.Plutarch.

Where the love of the people is assured, the designs of the seditious are thwarted.-Bias.

A good prince is not the object of fear.-Diogenes.

A prince ought to be aware not only of his enemies, but his flattering friends.-Dionysius.

The public has more interest in the punishment of an injury, than he who receives it.-Cato the Elder.

As ignorant governors bring their country into many inconveniences, so such as are devilishly politic utterly overthrow the state.-Anon.

Justice ought to be the rule to the will of kings.-Antigonus. Laws not executed are of no value, and as well not made as not practised.

To make an empire durable, the magistrates must obey the laws, and the people the magistrates.-Solon.

Laws are not made for the good.-Socrates.

Kings ought to be kings in all things.—Adrian.

Royalty consists not in vain pomp, but in great virtues.— Agesilaus.

LIFE AND DEATH.

An honourable death is better than an inglorious life.Socrates.

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