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
creativity originality ends
Begin with another's to end with your own.
excellence excellent teach
There is none who cannot teach somebody something, and there is none so excellent but he is excelled.
appearance jackets seems
Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets.
truth men never-forget
A man of honour should never forget what he is because he sees what others are.
adversity unique blessing
There is no wilderness like a life without friends; friendship multiplies blessings and minimizes misfortunes; it is a unique remedy against adversity, and it soothes the soul.
jealousy winning envy
The envious die not once, but as oft as the envied win applause.
regret men pleasure
We have more days to live through than pleasures. Be slow in enjoyment, quick at work, for men see work ended with pleasure, pleasure ended with regret.
inspirational motivational suicide
Great ability develops and reveals itself increasingly with every new assignment.
order envy may
It is good to vary in order that you may frustrate the curious, especially those who envy you.
deeds feminine masculine
Words are feminine; deeds are masculine.
choices needs taste
Know how to choose well. Most of life depends thereon. It needs good taste and correct judgment, for which neither intellect nor study suffices.
passion color hue
Passion colors all that it touches in its own hues.
mistake men hypocrisy
Know what is evil, no matter how worshipped it may be. Let the man of sense not mistake it, even when clothed in brocade, or at times crowned in gold, because it cannot thereby hide its hypocrisy, for slavery does not lose its infamy, however noble the master.
character understanding desire
You can cultivate taste, as you can the intellect. Full understanding whets the appetite and desire, and, later, sharpens the enjoyment of possession.