The two offices of memory are collection and distribution.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
There is not any memory with less satisfaction than the memory of some temptation we resisted.
—James Branch Cabell (1879–1958) American Author of Fantasy Fiction
Memory, in widow’s weeds, with naked feet stands on a tombstone.
—Aubrey Thomas de Vere (1814–1902) Irish Poet, Critic
Things that were hard to bear are sweet to remember.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
It is commonly seen by experience that excellent memories do often accompany weak judgements.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Memory is more incredible than ink.
—Anita Loos (1888–1981) American Actor, Novelist, Screenwriter
Memory is not so brilliant as hope, but it is more beautiful, and a thousand times more true.
—George D. Prentice (1802–70) American Journalist, Editor
We don’t remember days; we remember moments.
—Cesare Pavese (1908–50) Italian Novelist, Poet, Critic, Translator
The memory of past favors is like a rainbow, bright, vivid, and beautiful; but it soon fades away. The in memory of injuries is engraved on the heart, and remains forever.
—Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1796–1865) Canadian Author, Humorist, Businessperson, Judge
Memory is a crazy woman that hoards colored rags and throws away food.
—Austin O’Malley (1858–1932) American Aphorist, Ophthalmologist
Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Own only what you can carry with you; know language, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.
—Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918–2008) Russian Dissident Novelist
We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.
—Cesare Pavese (1908–50) Italian Novelist, Poet, Critic, Translator
Memory is the mother of all wisdom.
—Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright
It’s surprising how much memory is built around things unnoticed at the time.
—Barbara Kingsolver (b.1955) American Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Life is all memory except for the one present moment that goes by so quick you can hardly catch it going.
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards.
—Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) (1832–98) British Anglican Author, Mathematician, Clergyman, Photographer, Logician
Every man’s memory is his private literature.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
Everyone complains of his lack of memory, but nobody of his want of judgement.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
There are lots of people who mistake their imagination for their memory.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Charity begins at home, but should not end there.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
For the sense of smell, almost more than any other, has the power to recall memories and it is a pity that you use it so little.
—Rachel Carson (1907–64) American Naturalist, Science Writer
What is forgiven is usually well remembered.
—Louis Dudek (1918–2001) Canadian Poet, Publisher
A civil guest will no more talk all, than eat all the feast.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen.
—Edward de Bono (1933–2021) Maltese-British Psychologist, Writer
The true art of memory is the art of attention.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
In solitude we give passionate attention to our lives, to our memories, to the details around us.
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) English Novelist
The secret of a good memory is attention, and attention to a subject depends upon our interest in it. We rarely forget that which has made a deep impression on our minds.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth, but not its twin.
—Barbara Kingsolver (b.1955) American Novelist, Essayist, Poet
When our memories outweigh our dreams, we have grown old.
—Bill Clinton (b.1946) American Head of State, Lawyer, Public Speaker
Our memories are independent of our wills. It is not easy to forget.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816) Irish-born British Playwright, Poet, Elected Rep
So live that your memories will be part of your happiness.
—Unknown
Memory feeds imagination.
—Amy Tan (b.1952) Chinese-American Novelist
God gave us memory that we might have roses in December.
—J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) Scottish Novelist, Dramatist
In memory’s telephoto lens, far objects are magnified.
—John Updike (1932–2009) American Novelist, Poet, Short-Story Writer
No matter how far we travel, the memories will follow in the baggage car.
—August Strindberg (1849–1912) Swedish Playwright, Novelist, Essayist
Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
The palest ink is better than the best memory.
—Chinese Proverb
Pleasure is the flower that fades; remembrance is the lasting perfume.
—Stanislas de Boufflers (1738–1815) French Political leader, Writer
Memory is the power to revive again in our minds those ideas which after imprinting have disappeared, or have been laid aside out of sight.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
Everybody needs his memories. They keep the wolf of insignificance from the door.
—Saul Bellow (1915–2005) Canadian-American Novelist
He who is not very strong in memory should not meddle with lying.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
I’m always fascinated by the way memory diffuses fact.
—Diane Sawyer (b.1945) American Journalist, TV Personality
Memory is what makes us young or old.
—Alfred de Musset (1810–57) French Dramatist, Poet, Novelist
Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can ever happen to one again.
—Willa Cather (1873–1947) American Novelist, Writer
The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Memories are hunting horns whose sound dies on the wind.
—Guillaume Apollinaire (1880–1918) Italian-born French Poet, Playwright
Memory seldom fails when its office is to show us the tombs of our buried hopes.
—Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789–1849) Irish Novelist, Writer
The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.
—Salvador Dali (1904–89) Spanish Painter