Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Necessity is the mother of taking chances.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
What one has to do usually can be done.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
Necessity does the work of courage.
—Nicholas Murray Butler (1862–1947) American Philosopher, Diplomat, Educator
Nothing has more strength than dire necessity.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
The superfluous is very necessary.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Freedom is the recognition of necessity.
—Friedrich Engels (1820–95) German Socialist Political Philosopher
Necessity, that great refuge and excuse for human frailty, breaks through all law; and he is not to be accounted in fault whose crime is not the effect of choice, but force.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Make yourself necessary to somebody.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Against necessity, against its strength, no one can fight and win.
—Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright
The necessities were going by default to save the luxuries until I hardly knew which were necessities and which luxuries.
—Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) American Architect
Our necessities are few, but our wants are endless.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
“Necessity is the mother of invention” is a silly proverb. “Necessity is the mother of futile dodges” is much closer to the truth. The basis of growth of modern invention is science, and science is almost wholly the outgrowth of pleasurable intellectual curiosity.
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
Necessity does everything well.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Everything existing in the universe is the fruit of chance and necessity
—Democritus (c.460–c.370 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
We cannot conquer fate and necessity, yet we can yield to them in such a manner as to be greater than if we could.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
Necessity reconciles and brings men together; and this accidental connection afterwards forms itself into laws.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Necessity takes impartially the highest and the lowest.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Need is the driving force, Need makes people better—luck only makes them worse.
—Unknown
Necessity, the mother of invention.
—William Wycherley (c.1640–1716) English Dramatist
How base a thing it is when a man will struggle with necessity! We have to die.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
A people never fairly begins to prosper till necessity is treading on its heels. The growing want of room is one of the sources of civilization. Population is power, but it must be a population that, in growing, is made daily apprehensive of the morrow.
—William Gilmore Simms (1806–70) American Poet, Historian, Novelist, Editor
Necessity never made a good bargain.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Great necessity elevates man, petty necessity casts him down
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Necessity of action takes away the fear of the act, and makes bold resolution the favorite of fortune.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
Necessity is blind until it becomes conscious. Freedom is the consciousness of necessity.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
Necessity is the mistress and guardian of Nature.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Polymath, Painter, Sculptor, Inventor, Architect
Necessity may render a doubtful act innocent, but it cannot make it praise worthy.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
Fear is the underminer of all determinations; and necessity, the victorious rebel of all laws.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
Necessity teaches all things
—German Proverb