Old friends are the great blessings of one’s later years. Half a word conveys one’s meaning. They have a memory of the same events, have the same mode of thinking. I have young relations that may grow upon me, for my nature is affectionate, but can they grow [To Be] old friends?
—Hugh Walpole (1884–1941) English Novelist, Short Story Writer, Dramatist
A Miracle: An event described by those to whom it was told by men who did not see it.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Even a minor event in the life of a child is an event of that child’s world and thus a world event.
—Gaston Bachelard (1884–1962) French Philosopher, Psychoanalyst, Poet
The horror of the Twentieth Century was the size of each new event, and the paucity of its reverberation.
—Norman Mailer (1923–2007) American Novelist Essayist
A society which allows an abominable event to burgeon from its dung heap and grow on its surface is like a man who lets a fly crawl unheeded across his face or saliva dribble from his mouth—either epileptic or dead.
—Jean Baudrillard (1929–2007) French Sociologist, Philosopher
Consult duty, not events.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
Events of all sorts creep or fly exactly as God pleases.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Let the motive be in the deed and not in the event. Be not one whose motive for action is the hope of reward.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
Where much is expected from an individual, he may rise to the level of events and make the dream come true.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Events of great consequence often spring from trifling circumstances.
—Livy (Titus Livius) (59 BCE–17 CE) Roman Historian
Headlines twice the size of the events.
—John Galsworthy (1867–1933) English Novelist, Playwright
An event has happened, upon which it is difficult to speak, and impossible to be silent.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Events will take their course, it is no good of being angry at them; he is happiest who wisely turns them to the best account.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Often do the spirits of great events stride on before the events, and in today already walks tomorrow.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
Events follow one another like the days of the week.
—African Proverb
In the world we live in everything militates in favor of things that have not yet happened, of things that will never happen again.
—Andre Breton (1896–1966) French Poet, Essayist, Critic
Events tend to recur in cycles…
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
The emotional brain responds to an event more quickly than the thinking brain.
—Daniel Goleman (b.1946) American Psychologist, Author, Science Journalist
Great hearts steadily send forth the secret forces that incessantly draw great events.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
That man is prudent who neither hopes nor fears anything from the uncertain events of the future.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
It is easy to be wise after the event.
—Common Proverb
Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.
—Thomas Merton (1915–68) American Trappist Monk
There is little peace or comfort in life if we are always anxious as to future events.—He that worries himself with the dread of possible contingencies will never be at rest.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The great events of life often leave one unmoved; they pass out of consciousness, and, when one thinks of them, become unreal. Even the scarlet flowers of passion seem to grow in the same meadow as the poppies of oblivion.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Life is so constructed that an event does not, cannot, will not, match the expectation.
—Charlotte Bronte (1816–1855) English Novelist, Poet
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Time is a river of passing events—a rushing torrent.
—Greek Proverb
The wisest prophets make sure of the event first.
—Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (1717–97) English Art Historian, Man of Letters, Politician
History is simply the version of past events that people have decided to agree on.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
One of the extraordinary things about human events is that the unthinkable becomes thinkable.
—Salman Rushdie (b.1947) Indian-born British Novelist
When I can’t handle events, I let them handle themselves.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.
—Dan Quayle (b.1947) American Head of State, Politician, Elected Rep
The greatest event for the world is the arrival of a new and wise person.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
Events are influenced by our very great desires.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
In war, events of importance are the result of trivial causes.
—Julius Caesar (c.100–44BCE) Roman Statesman, Military General
Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events, not of words. Trust movement.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
The enemy of the conventional wisdom is not ideas but the march of events.
—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) Canadian-Born American Economist
Man must be prepared for every event of life, for there is nothing that is durable.
—Menander (c.343–c.291 BCE) Greek Comic Dramatist, Poet
Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on.
—Bob Newhart (b.1929) American Comedian, Actor, TV Personality, Film Personality
I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Literature is analysis after the event.
—Doris Lessing (1919–2013) British Novelist, Poet
Great events may stem from words of no importance.
—African Proverb
Once men are caught up in an event they cease to be afraid. Only the unknown frightens men.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
The causes of events are ever more interesting than the events themselves.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Like a kick in the butt, the force of events wakes slumberous talents.
—Edward Hoagland (b.1932) American Essayist, Novelist
Winners make a habit of manufacturing their own positive expectations in advance of the event.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher