Avoid him who, for mere curiosity, asks three questions running about a thing that cannot interest him.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
Only free people can hold their purpose and their honor steady to a common end, and prefer the interest of mankind to any narrow interest of their own.
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State
I loathe that low vice, curiosity.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
A good scientist is a person in whom the childhood quality of perennial curiosity lingers on. Once he gets an answer, he has other questions.
—Frederick Seitz (1911–2008) American Physicist
What we want to tell, we wish our friend to have curiosity to hear.
—Samuel Richardson (1689–1761) English Novelist, Printer, Publisher
Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity: no really self-respecting woman would take advantage of it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist
Curiosity is free-wheeling intelligence.
—Alistair Cooke (1908–2004) British-American Journalist, Broadcaster
The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind, is curiosity.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
The public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything. Except what is worth knowing. Journalism, conscious of this, and having tradesman-like habits, supplies their demands.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
The over curious are not over wise.
—Philip Massinger (1583–1640) English Playwright
Curiosity is the direct incontinence of the spirit.
—Jeremy Taylor
Curiosity is the one thing invincible in Nature.
—Freya Stark (1893–1993) British Explorer, Writer
There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.
—French Proverb
Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never tire of it. If we do tire of it, if we lose our curiosity, we have lost something of infinite value, because to a high degree it is curiosity that gives meaning and savour to life.
—Robertson Davies (1913–95) Canadian Novelist, Playwright, Essayist
Certainly, Gentlemen, it ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, and the most unreserved communication with his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinions high respect; their business unremitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasure, his satisfactions, to theirs, and above all, ever, and in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own. But his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure, no, nor from the law and the Constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Let your self go. If you can approach the world’s complexities, both its glories and its horrors, with an attitude of humble curiosity, acknowledging that however deeply you have seen, you have only scratched the surface, you will find worlds within worlds, beauties you could not heretofore imagine, and your own mundane preoccupations will shrink to proper size, not all that important in the greater scheme of things.
—Daniel C. Dennett (b.1942) American Philosopher, Atheist, Author
I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Curiosity killed the cat.
—Common Proverb
Interest makes some people blind, and others quick-sighted.
—Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) English Elizabethan Dramatist
We praise old times, but show no curiosity about modern events.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
Children are curious and are risk takers. They have lots of courage. They venture out into a world that is immense and dangerous. A child initially trusts life and the processes of life.
—John Bradshaw (1933–2016) American Motivational Speaker
Morality comes with the sad wisdom of age, when the sense of curiosity has withered.
—Graham Greene (1904–91) British Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
Creatures whose mainspring is curiosity enjoy the accumulating of facts far more than the pausing at times to reflect on those facts.
—Clarence Day (1874–1935) American Author, Humorist
The alchemists in their search for gold discovered many other things of greater value.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
Where curiosity is not the purveyor, detraction will soon be starved.
—Latin Proverb
Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
—Carl Sagan (1934–96) American Astronomer
Where the apple reddens never pry—lest we lose our Edens, Eve and I.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet