Such is the state of life that none are happy but by the anticipation of change. The change itself is nothing. When we have made it, the next wish is to change again.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
All things that are, are with more spirit chased than enjoyed.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
If pleasures are greatest in anticipation, just remember that this is also true of troubles.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Conscience is, in most men, an anticipation of the opinions of others.
—Henry Taylor (1800–86) British Poet, Dramatist
To tremble before anticipated evils, is to bemoan what thou hast never lost.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
He who matures early lives in anticipation.
—Theodor W. Adorno (1903–69) German Philosopher, Composer
We often tremble at an empty terror, yet the false fancy brings a real misery.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
It has been a thousand times observed, and I must observe it once more, that the hours we pass with happy prospects in view are more pleasing than those crowned with fruition.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Our thinking and our behaviour are always in anticipation of a response. It is therefore fear-based.
—Deepak Chopra (b.1946) Indian-born American Physician, Public Speaker, Writer
Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Why need a man forestall his date of grief, and run to meet that he would most avoid?
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
We sometimes complain of the levity of our friends to justify our own by anticipation.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
A man’s delight in looking forward to and hoping for some particular satisfaction is a part of the pleasure flowing out of it, enjoyed in advance. But this is afterward deducted, for the more we look forward to anything the less we enjoy it when it comes.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expected generally happens.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
But if we learn to think of it as anticipation, as learning, as growing, if we think of the time we spend waiting for the big things of life as an opportunity instead of a passing of time, what wonderful horizons open out!
—Anna Neagle (1904–86) English Actress
The poetry is all in the anticipation, for there is none in reality.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
When things mean a very great deal to you, exciting anticipation just isn’t safe.
—Dodie Smith (1896–1990) American Author, Playwright
A great source of calamity lies in regret and anticipation; therefore a person is wise who thinks of the present alone, regardless of the past or future.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life … The unexpected around the corner gives a sense of anticipation and surprise. Thank God for the unknown future.
—E. Stanley Jones (1884–1973) American Methodist Missionary, Theologian
It is worse to apprehend than to suffer.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favorite story. The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending.
—Fred Rogers (1928–2003) American TV Personality, Presbyterian Educator
Suffering itself does less afflict the senses than the anticipation of suffering.
—Quintilian (c.35–c.100 CE) Roman Rhetorician, Literary Critic
Few enterprises of great labor or hazard would be undertaken if we had not the power of magnifying the advantages we expect from them.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
We love to expect, and when expectation is either disappointed or gratified, we want to be again expecting.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Such is the state of life, that none are happy but by the anticipation of change: the change itself is nothing; when we have made it, the next wish is to change again. The world is not yet exhausted; let me see something tomorrow which I never saw before.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing.
—Samuel Smiles (1812–1904) British Author, Reformer
Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
To despond is to be ungrateful beforehand.—Be not looking for evil.—Often thou drainest the gall of fear while evil is passing by thy dwelling.
—Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810–89) English Poet, Writer
Nothing is so wretched or foolish as to anticipate misfortunes. What madness it is to be expecting evil before it comes.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
The so called unconscious inferences can be traced back to the all-preserving memory, which presents us with parallel experiences and hence already knows the consequences of an action. It is not anticipation of the effects; rather, it is the feeling: identical causes, identical effects .
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
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