If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of potential—for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints; possibility never.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
Every man desires to live long, but no man wishes to be old.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Wishers were ever fools.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Journalism wishes to tell what it is that has happened everywhere as though the same things had happened for every man. Poetry wishes to say what it is like for any man to be himself in the presence of a particular occurrence as though only he were alone there.
—Archibald MacLeish (1892–1982) American Poet, Dramatist
No matter how happily a woman may be married, it always pleases her to discover that there is a nice man who wishes that she were not.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Although one may fail to find happiness in theatrical life, one never wishes to give it up after having once tasted its fruits.
—Anna Pavlova (1881–1931) Russian Ballerina
Destiny has two ways of crushing us—by refusing our wishes and by fulfilling them.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.
—Louisa May Alcott (1832–88) American Novelist
However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.
—John Calvin (1509–64) French Theologian, Reformer
All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome.
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Wishes run over in loquacious impotence; will presses on with laconic energy.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
No poet or novelist wishes he were the only one who ever lived, but most of them wish they were the only one alive, and quite a number fondly believe their wish has been granted.
—W. H. Auden (1907–73) British-born American Poet, Dramatist
I am indeed rich, since my income is superior to my expenses, and my expense is equal to my wishes.
—Edward Gibbon (1737–94) English Historian, Politician
I respect the man who knows distinctly what he wishes. The greater part of all mischief in the world arises from the fact that men do not sufficiently understand their own aims. They have undertaken to build a tower, and spend no more labor on the foundation than would be necessary to erect a hut.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Gold is a treasure, and he who possesses it does all he wishes to in this world, and succeeds in helping souls into paradise.
—Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) Italian Explorer, Navigator
If a man wishes to truly not be written about, he would do well not to write letters to 18-year-old girls, inviting them into his life.
—Joyce Maynard (b.1953) American Novelist, Journalist
The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men of history.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
All a man’s affairs become diseased when he wishes to cure evils by evils.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
No sociologist should think himself too good, even in his old age, to make tens of thousands of quite trivial computations in his head and perhaps for months at a time. One cannot with impunity try to transfer this task entirely to mechanical assistants if one wishes to figure something, even though the final result is often small indeed.
—Max Weber (1864–1920) German Sociologist
What we ardently wish we soon believe.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
A wise unselfishness is not a surrender of yourself to the wishes of anyone, but only to the best discoverable course of action.
—David Seabury (1885–1960) American Psychologist
Man is free at the instant he wants to be.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
One of the great attractions of patriotism – it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of our nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat. Bully and cheat, what’s more, with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Satirist, Short Story Writer
Here the ways of men part: if you wish to strive for peace of soul and pleasure, then believe; if you wish to be a devotee of truth, then inquire.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
That is ever the way. ‘Tis all jealousy to the bride and good wishes to the corpse.
—J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) Scottish Novelist, Dramatist
Prayer, in its simplest definition, is merely a wish turned God-ward.
—Phillips Brooks (1835–93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
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