The humor of turning every misfortune into a judgment, proceeds from wrong notions of religion, which, in its own nature, produces good will toward men, and puts the mildest construction upon every accident that befalls them. In this case, therefore, it is not religion that sours a man’s temper, but it is his temper that sours his religion.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
It costs a man only a little exertion to bring misfortune on himself.
—Menander (c.343–c.291 BCE) Greek Comic Dramatist, Poet
A soul exasperated by its ills falls out with everything, with its friends and also with itself.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Our bravest and best lessons are not learned through success, but through misadventure.
—Amos Bronson Alcott (1799–1888) American Teacher, Writer, Philosopher
A calamity that affects everyone is only half a calamity.
—Italian Proverb
There is no misfortune, but to bear it nobly is good fortune.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
The injuries of life, if rightly improved, will be to us as the strokes of the statuary on his marble, forming us to a more beautiful shape, and making us fitter to adorn the heavenly temple.
—Cotton Mather (1662–1728) American Clergyman
There is in the worst of fortune the best of chances for a happy change.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
If a great man struggling with misfortunes is a noble object, a little man that despises them is no contemptible one.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
On the occasion of every accident that befalls you, remember to turn to yourself and inquire what power you have for turning it to use.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune, but great minds rise above it.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
The greatest misfortune of all is not to be able to bear misfortune.
—Bias of Priene (fl.6th century BCE) Greek Orator
We exaggerate misfortune and happiness alike. We are never either so wretched or so happy as we say we are.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Misfortune is never mournful to the soul that accepts it; for such do always see that every cloud is an angel’s face. Every man deems that he has precisely the trials and temptations which are the hardest of all others for him to bear; but they are so, simply because they are the very ones he most needs.
—Lydia Maria Child (1802–80) American Abolitionist, Writer
No accidents are so unlucky but that the wise may draw some advantage from them; nor are there any so lucky but that the foolish may turn them to their own prejudice.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
We feel a kind of bittersweet pricking of malicious delight in contemplating the misfortunes of others.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
After all, our worst misfortunes never happen, and most miseries lie in anticipation.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
When I was happy I thought I knew men, but it was fated that I should know them only in misfortune.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
No man has a prosperity so high or firm, but that two or three words can dishearten it; and there is no calamity which right words will not begin to redress.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
We can profit only by our own misfortunes and those of others. The former, though they may be the more beneficial, are also the more painful; let us turn, then, to the latter.
—Polybius (c.200–c.118 BCE) Greek Historian
Evil events come from evil causes; and what we suffer, springs, generally from what we have done.
—Aristophanes (447–386 BCE) Greek Comic Playwright
If fortune turns against you, even jelly breaks your tooth.
—Persian Proverb
By struggling with misfortunes, we are sure to receive some wounds in the conflict; but a sure method to come off victorious is by running away.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Ovid finely compares a broken fortune to a falling column; the lower it sinks, the greater weight it is obliged to sustain. When a man’s circumstances are such that he has no occasion to borrow, he finds numbers willing to lend him; but should his wants be such that he sues for a trifle, it is two to one whether he will be trusted with the smallest sum.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
I never knew a man who could not bear the misfortunes of another perfectly like a Christian.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
If all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public stock, in order to be equally distributed among the whole species, those who now think themselves the most unhappy would prefer the share they are already possessed of before that which would fall to them by such a division.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Men shut their doors against the setting sun.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
There is a chill air surrounding those who are down in the world, and people are glad to get away from them, as from a cold room.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
There is an ambush everywhere from the army of accidents; therefore the rider of life runs with loosened reins.
—Hafez (1325–89) Persian Poet, Mystic
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