The quote database

There were times when his optimism appeared forced and formal though I believe it was not really so: there were times when I have almost hated him for his infernal cheerfulness.

The secret of calm cheerfulness is kindliness; no person can be consistently cheerful and calm who does not consistently think kind thoughts.

the need of society drives the human porcupines together--only to be mutually repelled by the many prickly and disagreeable qualities of their nature

Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs.

It is not kind in you to desire an increase of my friendship; that is to doubt it is not as great already as it can be, than which you cannot do me a greater injury.

Oh, if our friends would but put off anatomising one till after one was safely dead, and call to mind that, previously, we have nerves to be agonised and morbid brains to be driven mad!

Civility is not a tactic or a sentiment. It is the determined choice of trust over cynicism, of community over chaos.

Nothing is more characteristic of a man than the manner in which he behaves toward fools.

Having treated my friend ill, I wished to apologize; but, not meeting him, I made an apology to myself.

What signifies the census--this periodical numbering of men--to one who has no friend?

Politics need not be a raging fire destroying everything in its path.

We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts.

Our first object, then, should be to prevent a breach; our second, to secure that, if it does occur, our friendship should seem to have died a natural rather than a violent death.

Your heart is wounded with compassion to hear the mourning of friends, and, perhaps with anger, to hear the counterfeit condolings of pretenders.

this vice of ingratitude has its source either in avarice or in suspicion

freedom in speech is friendly and has weight, but reproach is selfish and little

It is better therefore to listen patiently to a friend's rebuke, for if he should afterwards do wrong himself and so need rebuke, he has set you the example of freedom of speech.

We cannot learn from one another until we stop shouting at one another--until we speak quietly enough so that our words can be heard as well as our voices.

Most men, when they repent, oblige their friends to share the bitterness of that repentance.

I looked in your cup to see if you had enough. You looked in mine to check if I had more than you. That difference says everything. We are not the same.

Most of the friends I have seen have turned out the bitterest enemies, or cold, uncomfortable acquaintance.

There is then no sympathy, but an uneasy craving after it, and a dissatisfaction which pursues you on the way, and in the end probably produces ill-humour.