Put this restriction on your pleasures; be cautious that they injure no being that lives.
—Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann (1728–1795) Swiss Philosophical Writer, Naturalist, Physician
Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified. He that labors in any great or laudable undertaking has his fatigues first supported by hope and afterward rewarded by joy.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
With the catching ends the pleasures of the chase.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
It is within the experience of everyone that when pleasure and pain reach a certain intensity they are indistinguishable.
—Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
Pleasure is very seldom found where it is sought. Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks. The flowers which scatter their odours from time to time in the paths of life, grow up without culture from seeds scattered by chance. Nothing is more hopeless than a scheme of merriment.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Pleasure is often spoiled by describing it.
—Stendhal (Marie-Henri Beyle) (1783–1842) French Writer
Choose such pleasures as recreate much and cost little.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Pleasure only starts once the worm has got into the fruit; to become delightful, happiness must be tainted with poison.
—Georges Bataille (1897–1962) French Essayist, Intellectual
Perhaps one has to be very old before one learns how to be amused rather than shocked.
—Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) American Novelist, Human Rights Activist
What leads to unhappiness, is making pleasure the chief aim.
—William Shenstone (1714–63) British Poet, Landscape Gardener
If all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious as to work: but when they seldom come, they wished for come, and nothing pleaseth but rare accidents.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Play is the exultation of the possible.
—Martin Buber (1878–1965) Austrian Jewish Theologian, Philosopher, Novelist
Amusement is the happiness of those who cannot think.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
The intellectual man requires a fine bait; the sots are easily amused. But everybody is drugged with his own frenzy, and the pageant marches at all hours, with music and banner and badge.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.
—Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689–1762) English Aristocrat, Poet, Novelist, Writer
Oh, the good times when we were so unhappy
—Alexandre Dumas pere (1802–1870) French Novelist, Playwright
Perhaps the rare and simple pleasure of being seen for what one is compensates for the misery of being it.
—Margaret Drabble (b.1939) English Novelist, Biographer, Critic, Short Story Writer
Pleasure is Nature’s test, her sign of approval. When man is happy, he is in harmony with himself and with his environment.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Pleasure is in itself a good; nay, even setting aside immunity from pain, the only good.
—Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) British Philosopher, Economist
Pleasure that isn’t paid for is as insipid as everything else that’s free.
—Anita Loos (1888–1981) American Actor, Novelist, Screenwriter
People seem to enjoy things more when they know a lot of other people have been left out on the pleasure.
—Russell Baker (1925–2019) American Journalist, Humorist, Television Host
Pleasure is the flower that fades; remembrance is the lasting perfume.
—Stanislas de Boufflers (1738–1815) French Political leader, Writer
The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
Pleasant it is, when over a great sea the winds trouble the waters, to gaze from shore upon another’s great tribulation; not because any man’s troubles are a delectable joy, but because to perceive you are free of them yourself is pleasant.
—Lucretius (c.99–55 BCE) Roman Epicurean Poet, Philosopher
Play so you may be serious.
—Anacharsis (fl. 6th century BCE) Scythian Prince
Without pleasure man would live like a fool and soon die.
—Pierre Beaumarchais (1732–99) French Inventor, Diplomat, Musician, Fugitive, Revolutionary
Nothing is so perfectly amusing as a total change of ideas.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
People have many different kinds of pleasure. The real one is that for which they will forsake the others.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
I can think of nothing less pleasurable than a life devoted to pleasure.
—John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (1874–1960) American Philanthropist, Businessperson
The greatest pleasure when I started making money was not buying cars or yachts but finding myself able to have as many freshly typed drafts as possible.
—Gore Vidal (1925–48) American Novelist, Essayist, Journalist, Playwright
The greatest and noblest pleasure which men can have in this world is to discover new truths; and the next is to shake off old prejudices.
—Frederick II of Prussia (1712–86) Prussian Monarch
The essence of pleasure is spontaneity.
—Germaine Greer (b.1939) Australia Academic, Journalist, Scholar, Writer
Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
Look for a long time at what pleases you, and a longer time at what pains you.
—Colette (1873–1954) French Novelist, Performer
Fresh air and innocence are good if you don’t take too much of them—but I always remember that most of the achievements and pleasures of life are in bad air.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
Honor is a public enemy, and conscience a domestic, and he that would secure his pleasure, must pay a tribute to one and go halves with t’other.
—William Congreve (1670–1729) English Playwright, Poet
Men may scoff, and men may pray, but they pay every pleasure with a pain.
—William Ernest Henley (1849–1903) English Poet, Critic, Editor
We tire of those pleasures we take, but never of those we give.
—Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792–1870) Swiss Poet
There is no such thing as pure pleasure; some anxiety always goes with it.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do.
—Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) British Philosopher, Economist
We enjoy thoroughly only the pleasure that we give.
—Alexandre Dumas pere (1802–1870) French Novelist, Playwright
If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think very little of robbing, and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.
—Thomas de Quincey (1785–1859) English Essayist, Critic
We must always skim over pleasures. They are like marshy lands that we must travel nimbly, hardly daring to put down our feet.
—Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657–1757) French Essayist, Polymath, Philosopher
My chief study all my life has been to lighten misfortunes and multiply pleasures, as far as human nature can.
—Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689–1762) English Aristocrat, Poet, Novelist, Writer
We enjoy the process far more than the proceeds.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor
We have not an hour of life in which our pleasures relish not some pain, our sours, some sweetness.
—Philip Massinger (1583–1640) English Playwright
Indulge yourself in pleasures only in so far as they are necessary for the preservation of health.
—Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) Dutch Philosopher, Theologian
Pleasant it to behold great encounters of warfare arrayed over the plains, with no part of yours in peril.
—Lucretius (c.99–55 BCE) Roman Epicurean Poet, Philosopher
Perhaps all pleasure is only relief.
—William S. Burroughs (1914–97) American Novelist, Poet, Short Story Writer, Painter
Pleasure is the object, duty and the goal of all rational creatures.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher