Baltasar Gracián (1601–58,) fully Baltasar Jerónimo Gracián y Morales, was a Spanish baroque moralist, Jesuit scholar, and philosophical novelist. Considered one of the greatest prose masters of Spain’s Golden Age, he was the foremost Spanish exponent of conceptism (“conceptismo,”) a literary style that employs terse and subtle displays of exaggerated wit.
Born in Belmonte de Calatayud, Spain, Gracián studied at Calatayud and Zaragoza. He entered the Jesuit order at the age of 18 and became rector of the Jesuit College at Tarragona.
Gracián’s initial works—El héroe (1637; ‘The Hero,’) El discreto (1646; ‘The Compleat Gentleman,’) and El oráculo manual y arte de prudencia (1647; ‘The Art of Worldly Wisdom: A Pocket Oracle’)—were predominantly efforts to instruct people in the ethics of worldly life. His literary style of conceptism was first presented in Agudeza y arte de ingenio (1642, ‘Subtlety and the Art of Genius.’)
Gracián published pseudonymously El criticón (1651, 1653, 1657; The Critick, 1781,) a three-part philosophical novel that portrays a pessimistic allegorical vision of human life. Arthur Schopenhauer considered it one of the best books ever written.
Gracián’s works influenced Francois de La Rochefoucauld, and later Voltaire, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Jorge Luis Borges. Arthur Schopenhauer considered El criterión one of the best books ever written.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Baltasar Gracian
A man is judged by his friends, for the wise and the foolish have never agreed.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Friendship
Dreams will get you nowhere, a good kick in the pants will take you a long way.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Action, Dreams
A prudent man will think more important what fate has conceded to him, than what it has denied.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Appreciation, Gratitude, Blessings
Good things, when short, are twice as good.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Brevity
Some are satisfied to stand politely before the portals of Fortune and to await her bidding; better those who push forward, and who employ their enterprise, who on the wings of their worth and valor seek to embrace luck and effectively to gain her favor.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Luck, Fortune
The greatest wisdom often consists in ignorance.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Ignorance
He who finds Fortune on his side should go briskly ahead, for she is wont to favor the bold.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Boldness, Courage
A single lie destroys a whole reputation of integrity.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Reputation
When desire dies, fear is born.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Desire, Desires
If you are wise, live as you can; if you cannot, live as you would.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Wisdom, Acceptance
The sage has one advantage: He is immortal. If this is not his century, many others will be.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Wisdom
To equal a predecessor, one must have twice they worth.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Imitation
Take care to make things turn out well. Some people scruple more over pointing things in the right direction than over successfully reaching their goals. The disgrace of failure outweighs the diligence they showed. A winner is never asked for explanations.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Success
Never do anything when you are in a temper, for you will do everything wrong.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Anger
Nature often lets us down when we most need her; let us turn to art.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Nature
Begin with another’s to end with your own.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Innovation, Originality
Respect yourself if you would have others respect you. – Gracian, Baltasar
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Self-Esteem, Self Respect
Silence is the sanctuary of prudence.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Silence, One liners
Knowledge without wisdom is double folly.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Wisdom
Work is the price which is paid for reputation.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Reputation, Work
Hurry is the weakness of fools.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Action
The heaven of the envied is hell for the envious.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Envy, Jealousy
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.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Pleasure
When everyone covets something, they are easily annoyed by it.
—Baltasar Gracian
A man of honour should never forget what he is because he sees what others are.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Men
It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck, even while waiting for it.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Luck, Fortune
Chance has something to say in everything, even how to write a good letter.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Chance
At twenty a man is a peacock, at thirty a lion, at forty a camel, at fifty a serpent, at sixty a dog, at seventy an ape, at eighty a nothing at all.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Age, Aging
Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Wisdom
You can cultivate taste, as you can the intellect. Full understanding whets the appetite and desire, and, later, sharpens the enjoyment of possession.
—Baltasar Gracian
Topics: Character
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