And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since and lost awhile.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
God put self-pity by the side of despair like the cure by the side of the disease.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author
More helpful than all wisdom or counsel is one draught of simple human pity that will not forsake us.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Every man rejoices twice when he has a partner of his joy; a friend shares my sorrow and makes it but a moiety, but he swells my joy and makes it double.
—Jeremy Taylor
We pity in others only the those evils which we ourselves have experienced.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
Pity makes the world soft to the weak and noble to the strong.
—Edwin Arnold (1832–1904) English Poet, Journalist, Editor
Pity those who nature abuses; never those who abuse nature.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816) Irish-born British Playwright, Poet, Elected Rep
His morality is all sympathy, just what morality should be
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Sympathy is two hearts tugging at one load.
—Charles Henry Parkhurst (1842–1933) American Clergyman, Civic Reformer
No man needs sympathy because he has to work. Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
Our sympathy is cold to the relation of distant misery.
—Edward Gibbon (1737–94) English Historian, Politician
When he shall die
Take him and cut him out in little stars
And he will make the face of heav’n so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
If a madman were to come into this room with a stick in his hand, no doubt we should pity the state of his mind; but our primary consideration would be to take care of ourselves. We should knock him down first, and pity him afterwards.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. We must find each other.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
Sympathetic people often don’t communicate well, they back reflected images which hide their own depths.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
The secrets of life are not shown except to sympathy and likeness
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
For some moments in life there are no words.
—David Seltzer (b.1940) American Screenwriter, Film Producer, Film Director
To be in one’s own heart in kindly sympathy with all things; this is the nature of righteousness
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Love and death are the two great hinges on which all human sympathies turn.
—Benjamin Haydon (1786–1846) English Painter, Writer
Pity may represent little more than the impersonal concern which prompts the mailing of a check, but true sympathy is the personal concern which demands the giving of one’s soul.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Although it’s difficult today to see beyond the sorrow,
May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow.
—Unknown
It is a lively spark of nobleness to descend in most favor to one when he is lowest in affliction.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
It is the eternal truth in the political as well as the mystical body, that, where one members suffers, all the members suffer with it.
—Junius Unidentified English Writer
Sympathizing and selfish people are alike, both given to tears.
—Leigh Hunt (1784–1859) British Poet, Essayist, Journalist
When Man evolved Pity, he did a queer thing—deprived himself of the power of living life as it is without wishing it to become something different.
—John Galsworthy (1867–1933) English Novelist, Playwright
From the voiceless lips of the unreplying dead there comes no word, but in the night of death hope sees a star and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
There is nothing sweeter than to be sympathized with.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Seldom in the business and transactions of ordinary life, do we find the sympathy we want.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I can sympathize with everything, except suffering.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Can I see another’s woe, and not be in sorrow too? Can I see another’s grief, and not seek for kind relief?
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Is there anything more dangerous than sympathetic understanding?
—Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Spanish Painter, Sculptor, Artist
Sympathy is a supporting atmosphere, and in it we unfold easily and well.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The only true knowledge of our fellowman is that which enables us to feel with him—which gives us a fine ear for the heart-pulses that are beating under the mere clothes of circumstance and opinion.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
Pity is for the living, envy is for the dead.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Man’s thoughts and ways shall always be in contact and sympathy with his fellow men.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
To what is a man likened, who consoles with his neighbor twelve months after his bereavement by death? He is like a surgeon, asking a man who had once broken his leg to let him break it again and heal it, that he may show him what excellent mendicaments he has.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Next to love, sympathy is the divinest passion of the human heart.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
One of the greatest of all mental pleasures is to have our thoughts often divined; ever entered into with sympathy.
—Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1802–38) English Poet, Novelist
Sympathy constitutes friendship; but in love there is a sort of antipathy, or opposing passion. Each strives to be the other, and both together make up one whole.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.
—Unknown
The more sympathy you give, the less you need.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
It may, indeed, be said that sympathy exists in all minds, as Faraday has discovered that magnetism exists in all metals; but a certain temperature is required to develop the hidden property, whether in the metal or the mind.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Pity and friendship are two passions incompatible with each other.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Sympathy for victims is always counter-balanced by an equal and opposite feeling of resentment towards them.
—Ben Elton (b.1959) English Comedian, Writer
Pity is treason.
—Maximilien Robespierre (1758–94) French Revolutionary
All sympathy not consistent with acknowledged virtue is but disguised selfishness.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
It is certain my belief gains quite infinitely the very moment I can convince another mind thereof.
—Novalis (1772–1801) German Romantic Poet, Novelist
Humane sentiments are baseless, mad, and improper; they are incredibly feeble; never do they withstand the gainsaying passions, never do they resist bare necessity.
—Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) French Political leader, Revolutionary, Novelist, Poet, Critic