Prosperity is the measure or touchstone of virtue, for it is less difficult to bear misfortune than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure.
—Tacitus (56–117) Roman Orator, Historian
Watch lest prosperity destroy generosity.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
What Anacharsis said of the vine may aptly enough be said of prosperity. She bears the three grapes of drunkenness, pleasure, and sorrow; and happy is it if the last can cure the mischief which the former work. When afflictions fail to have their due effect, the case is desperate.
—Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke (1678–1751) English Politician, Philosopher
If adversity hath killed his thousands, prosperity hath killed his ten thousands; therefore adversity is to be preferred. The one deceives, the other instructs; the one is miserably happy, the other happily miserable; and therefore many philosophers have voluntarily sought adversity and commend it in their precepts.
—Richard Burton (1925–84) Welsh Actor
While prosperous you can number many friends; but when the storm comes you are left alone.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
When you ascend the hill of prosperity, may you not meet a friend.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
No man is prosperous whose immortality is forfeited.—No man is rich to whom the grave brings eternal bankruptcy.—No man is happy upon whose path there rests but a momentary glimmer of light, shining out between clouds that are closing over him in darkness forever.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Prosperity is too apt to prevent us from examining our conduct, but adversity leads us to think properly of our state, and so is most beneficial to us.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
It is the bright day that brings forth the adder, and that craves wary walking.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
If prosperity is regarded as the reward of virtue, it will be regarded as the symptom of virtue.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
There is ever a certain languor attending the fulness of prosperity. When the heart has no more to wish, it yawns over its possessions, and the energy of the soul goes out like a flame that has no more to devour.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
Heroism works in contradiction to the voice of mankind and in contradiction, for a time, to the voice of the great and good. Heroism is an obedience to a secret impulse of an individual’s character. Now to no other man can its wisdom appear as it does to him, for every man must be supposed to see a little farther on his own proper path than any one else. Therefore just and wise men take umbrage at his act, until after some little time be past: then they see it to be in unison with their acts. All prudent men see that the action is clean contrary to a sensual prosperity; for every heroic act measures itself by its contempt of some external good. But it finds its own success at last, and then the prudent also extol.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Oh, how portentous is prosperity! how, comet-like, it threatens while it shines.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
The wisest prophets make sure of the event first.
—Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (1717–97) English Art Historian, Man of Letters, Politician
When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my life on purpose and focused on giving of myself and everything that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous.
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
Superfluity creates necessity, and necescity superfluity. Take care to be an economist in prosperity: there is no fear of your being one in adversity.
—Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann (1728–1795) Swiss Philosophical Writer, Naturalist, Physician
The current flows fast and furious. It issues in a spate of words from the loudspeakers and the politicians. Every day they tell us that we are a free people fighting to defend freedom. That is the current that has whirled the young airman up into the sky and keeps him circulating there among the clouds. Down here, with a roof to cover us and a gas mask handy, it is our business to puncture gas bags and discover the seeds of truth.
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) English Novelist
Happiness is prosperity combined with virtue.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
The prosperity of a people is proportionate to the number of hands and minds usefully employed. To the community, sedition is a fever, corruption is a gangrene, and idleness is an atrophy. Whatever body or society wastes more than it acquires, must gradually decay; and every being that continues to be fed, and ceases to labor, takes away something from the public stock.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The good things that belong to prosperity are to be wished, but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Prosperity is not just having things. It is the consciousness that attracts the things. Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just having money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things.
—Eric Butterworth (1916–2003) American Spirituality Writer
That fortitude which has encountered no dangers, that prudence which has surmounted no difficulties, that integrity which has been attacked by no temptation, can at best be considered but as gold not yet brought to the test, of which, therefore, the true value cannot be assigned.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
There is only one way by which you can achieve prosperity. It is to take charge of your mind.
—Eric Butterworth (1916–2003) American Spirituality Writer
Prosperity is the surest breeder of insolence I know.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Prosperity, alas! is often but another name for pride.
—Lydia H. Sigourney (1791–1865) American Poetaster, Author
Prosperity has this property: It puffs up narrow souls, makes them imagine themselves high and mighty, and leads them to look down upon the world with contempt; but a truly noble spirit appears greatest in distress; and then becomes more bright and conspicuous.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Prosperity in the form of wealth works exactly the same as everything else. You will see it coming into your life when you are unattached to needing it.
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
Few of us can stand prosperity. Another man’s, I mean.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
You cannot create prosperity by law. Sustained thrift, industry, application, intelligence, are the only things that ever do, or ever will, create prosperity. But you can very easily destroy prosperity by law.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
The mind that is much elevated and insolent with prosperity, and cast down by adversity, is generally abject and base.
—Epicurus (c.341–270 BCE) Greek Philosopher
If you want greater prosperity in your life, start forming a vacuum to receive it.
—Catherine Ponder (b.1927) American Clergywoman
So use prosperity, that adversity may not abuse thee: if in the one, security admits no fears, in the other, despair will afford no hopes; he that in prosperity can foretell a danger can in adversity foresee deliverance.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
When prosperity comes, do not use all of it.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
He that swells in prosperity will be sure to shrink in adversity.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Many are not able to suffer and endure prosperity; it is like the light of the sun to a weak eye, glorious, indeed, in itself, but not proportioned to such an instrument.
—Jeremy Taylor
All sunshine makes the desert.
—Arabic Proverb
The virtue of prosperity is temperance, but the virtue of adversity is fortitude; and the last is the more sublime attainment.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
A full cup must be carried steadily.
—English Proverb
They who lie soft and warm in a rich estate seldom come to heat themselves at the altar.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
Prosperity’s right hand is industry, and her left hand is frugality.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Who feels no ills, should, therefore, fear them; and when fortune smiles, be doubly cautious, lest destruction come remorseless on him, and he fall unpitied.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
As riches and favor forsake a man, we discover him to be a fool but nobody could find it out in his prosperity.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
Prosperity cannot be divorced from humanity.
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) American Head of State, Lawyer
Every inordinate cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is the devil.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Greatness stands upon a precipice, and if prosperity carries a man ever so little beyond his poise, it overbears and dashes him to pieces.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The prosperous man is never sure that he is loved for himself.
—Lucan (Marcus Annaeus Lucanus) (39–65 CE) Roman Statesman, Latin Poet
Life is ever giving of Itself. We must receive, utilize and extend the gift. Success and prosperity are spiritual attributes belonging to all people.
—Ernest Holmes (1887–1960) American New Thought Writer, Teacher
Nothing is harder to direct than a man in prosperity; nothing more easily managed than one in adversity.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Prosperity discovers vice, adversity discovers virtue.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher