Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
If you value a man’s regard, strive with him. As to liking, you like your newspaper—and despise it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to point us to that realm which is the real and endless home of the heart.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Talk not of wasted affection; affection never was wasted.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Yes, I do touch. I believe that everyone needs that
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
If there is any thing that keeps the mind open to angel visits, and repels the ministry of evil, it is a pure human love.
—Nathaniel Parker Willis (1806–67) American Poet, Playwright, Essayist
A woman’s whole life is a history of the affections. The heart is her world: it is there her ambition strives for empire; it is there her avarice seeks for hidden treasures. She sends forth her sympathies on adventure; she embarks her whole soul on the traffic of affection; and if shipwrecked, her case is hopeless—for it is a bankruptcy of the heart.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
The two qualities which chiefly inspire regard and affection [Are] that a thing is your own and that it is your only one.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Mature affection, homage, devotion, does not easily express itself. Its voice is low. It is modest and retiring, it lays in ambush and waits. Such is the mature fruit. Sometimes a life glides away, and finds it still ripening in the shade. The light inclinations of very young people are as dust compared to rocks.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
How often a new affection makes a new man. The sordid becomes liberal; the cowering, heroic; the frivolous girl, the steadfast martyr of patience and ministration, transfigured by deathless love.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
It is the passion that is in a kiss that gives to it its sweetness; it is the affection in a kiss that sanctifies it.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
Don’t be afraid of showing affection. Be warm and tender, thoughtful and affectionate. Men are more helped by sympathy than by service. Love is more than money, and a kind word will give more pleasure than a present.
—John Lubbock (1834–1913) English Politician, Biologist
Be a good human being, a warm-hearted affectionate person. That is my fundamental belief. Having a sense of caring, a feeling of compassion will bring happiness of peace of mind to oneself and automatically create a positive atmosphere.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935) Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader, Civil Rights Leader, Philosopher, Author
Affection, mistress of passion, sways it to the mood of what it likes or loathes.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Jealousy is the grave of affection.
—Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910) American Christian Science Religious Leader, Humanitarian, Writer
Of all earthly music that which reaches farthest into heaven is the beating of a truly loving heart.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
No affections and a great brain,—these are the men to command the world.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
That trial is not fair where affection is judge
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
The affections, like conscience, are rather to be led than driven.—Those who many where they do not love, will be likely to love where they do not marry.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
I wash my hands of those who imagine chattering to be knowledge, silence to be ignorance, and affection to be art.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
The affection of young ladies is of as rapid growth as Jack’s beanstalk, and reaches up to the sky in a night.
—William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63) English Novelist
I was born with an enormous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it.
—Audrey Hepburn (1929–93) Belgian-born British Actor, Humanitarian
Affection, like melancholy, magnifies trifles; but the magnifying of the one is like looking through a telescope at heavenly objects; that of the other, like enlarging monsters with a microscope.
—Leigh Hunt (1784–1859) British Poet, Essayist, Journalist
A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.
—Buddhist Teaching
The conqueror is regarded with awe; the wise man commands our respect; but it is only the benevolent man that wins our affection.
—William Dean Howells (1837–1920) American Novelist, Critic.
The moment we indulge our affections, the earth is metamorphosed, there is no winter and no night; all tragedies, all ennui s, vanish, all duties even.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Were’t not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honored love,
I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad
Than, living dully sluggardized at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
I never met a man I didn’t like.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
The affections are the children of ignorance; when the horizon of our experience expands, and models multiply, love and admiration imperceptibly vanish.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Our affections are our life.—We live by them; they supply our warmth.
—William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) American Unitarian Theologian, Poet
A mixture of admiration and pity is one of the surest recipes for affection.
—Andre Maurois (1885–1967) French Novelist, Biographer
I love to hold people’s hands when I visit hospitals, even though they are shocked because they haven’t experienced anything like it before, but to me it is a normal thing to do.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
Caresses, expressions of one sort or another, are necessary to the life of the affections as leaves are to the life of a tree. If they are wholly restrained, love will die at the roots.
—Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–64) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
There is in life no blessing like affection; it soothes, it hallows, elevates, subdues, and bringeth down to earth its native heaven: life has nought else that may supply its place.
—Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1802–38) English Poet, Novelist
There is so little to redeem the dry mass of follies and errors that make up so much of life, that anything to love or reverence becomes, as it were, a sabbath to the soul.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Self-interest is the enemy of all true affection.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935) Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader, Civil Rights Leader, Philosopher, Author
Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to.
—Alfred A. Montapert (1906–97) American Engineer, Philosopher
A slight touch of friendly malice and amusement towards those we love keeps our affections for them from turning flat.
—Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) American-British Essayist, Bibliophile
Most people would rather give than get affection.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Every gift, though it be small, is in reality great if given with affection.
—Pindar (c.518–c.438 BCE) Greek Lyric Poet
The happiest moments my heart knows are those in which it is pouring forth its affections to a few esteemed characters.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Affection is the broadest basis of good in life.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
One must not be mean with the affections; what is spent of the fund is renewed in the spending itself.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
Affection is a coal that must be cooled; Else, suffered, it will set the heart on fire.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
No decking sets forth anything so much as affection.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier