Baltasar Gracian
Baltasar Gracian
Baltasar Gracián y Morales, SJ, formerly Anglicized as Baltazar Gracian, was a Spanish Jesuit and baroque prose writer and philosopher. He was born in Belmonte, near Calatayud. His writings were lauded by Schopenhauer and Nietzsche...
NationalitySpanish
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth8 January 1601
CountrySpain
needs human-condition ability
There is no need to show your ability before everyone.
time
God Himself chasteneth not with a rod but with time.
sage merit attention
The sage never seems to know his own merits, for only by not noticing them can you call others' attention to them.
love gains admiration
Tis much to gain universal admiration; more, universal love.
hope
Hope is a great falsifier of truth.
fingers shows wounded
Do not show your wounded finger for everything will knock up against it.
war arrows may
You may be obliged to wage war, but not to use poisoned arrows.
evil good-and-evil
Nothing is good for him for whom nothing is bad.
writing needs ugly
Even monarchs have need of authors, and fear their pens more than ugly women the painter's pencil.
philosophy book character
It is profound philosophy to sound the depths of feeling and distinguish traits of character. Men must be studied as deeply as books.
use misfortunes usefulness
It is a great misfortune to be of use to nobody; scarcely less to be of use to everybody.
witty should-have credit
Many get the repute of being witty but thereby lose the credit of being sensible. Jest has its little hour, seriousness should have all the rest.
popularity please ifs
There must be something good in a thing that pleases so many; even if it cannot be explained, it is certainly enjoyed.
revenge dust oblivion
There is no revenge like oblivion, for it is the entombment of the unworthy in the dust of their own nothingness.