I hold this as a rule of life: Too much of anything is bad.
—Terence (c.195–159 BCE) Roman Comic Dramatist
The waste of life occasioned by trying to do too many things at once is appalling.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
All progress is based upon the universal innate desire on the part of every organism to live beyond its income.
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902) British Victorian Novelist, Essayist, Critic
Nothing in excess.
—Indian Proverb
The way to wealth is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality; that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality, nothing will do; and with them, everything.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
In delay we waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
All things that are pernicious in their progress must be evil in their birth, for no sooner is the government of reason thrown off, than they rush forward to their own accord; weakness takes a pleasure to indulge itself; and having imperceptibly launched out into the main ocean, can find no place where to stop.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
The desire of power in excess caused angels to fall; the desire of knowledge in excess caused man to fall; but in charity is no excess, neither can man or angels come into danger by it.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
My candle burns at both ends
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends –
It gives a lovely light.
—Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950) American Poet, Playwright, Feminist
As to the rout that is made about people who are ruined by extravagance, it is no matter to the nation that some individuals suffer. When so much general productive exertion is the consequence of luxury, the nation does not care though there are debtors; nay, they would not care though their creditors were there too.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Let’s not quibble! I’m the foe of moderation, the champion of excess. If I may lift a line from a die-hard whose identity is lost in the shuffle, “I’d rather be strongly wrong than weakly right.”
—Tallulah Bankhead (1902–68) American Actress
Let us teach ourselves that honorable step, not to outdo discretion.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Excess generally causes reaction, and produces a change in the opposite direction, whether it be in the seasons, or in individuals, or in governments.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
I wish I could stand on a busy corner, hat in hand, and beg people to throw me all their wasted hours.
—Bernard Berenson (1865–1959) American Art Critic, Historian
Pleasures bring effeminacy, and effeminacy foreruns ruin; such conquests, without blood or sweat, do sufficiently revenge themselves upon their intemperate conquerors.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
Let pleasure be ever so innocent the excess is always criminal.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
Waste is worse than loss. The time is coming when every person who lays claim to ability will keep the question of waste before him constantly. The scope of thrift is limitless.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
He who indulges his sense in any excesses, renders himself obnoxious to his own reason; and to gratify the brute in him, displeases the man, and sets his two natures at variance.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
The greatest wastes are unused talents and untried ideas.
—Unknown
The best principles, if pushed to excess, degenerate into fatal vices.—Generosity is nearly allied to extravagance; charity itself may lead to ruin; and the sternness of justice is but one step removed from the severity of oppression.
—Archibald Alison (1792–1867) Scottish Attorney, Historian
Violent delights have violent ends, and in their triumph die; like fire and powder, which, as they kiss, consume.—They are as sick that surfeit with too much, as they that starve with nothing.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Pliability and liberality, when not restrained within due bounds, must ever turn to the ruin of their possessor.
—Tacitus (56–117) Roman Orator, Historian
The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom; for we never know what is enough until we know what is more than enough.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Short as life is, we make it still shorter by the careless waste of time.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
To go too far is as bad as to fall short.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
We are no longer in a state of growth; we are in a state of excess. We are living in a society of excrescence. The boil is growing out of control, recklessly at cross purposes with itself, its impacts multiplying as the causes disintegrate.
—Jean Baudrillard (1929–2007) French Sociologist, Philosopher
Willful waste brings woeful want.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Everyone should keep a mental wastepaper basket and the older he grows the more things he will consign to it—torn up to irrecoverable tatters.
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902) British Victorian Novelist, Essayist, Critic
We have almost succeeded in leveling all human activities to the common denominator of securing the necessities of life and providing for their abundance.
—Hannah Arendt (1906–75) German-American Philosopher, Political Theorist
Americans are overreaching; overreaching is the most admirable and most American of the many American excesses.
—George Will (b.1941) American Columnist, Author, Commentator
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