Baltasar Gracian Quotes

Be known for pleasing others, especially if you govern them. Ruling other has one advantage: you can do more good than anyone else.

When you find Fortune favorable, stride boldly forward, for she favors the bold, and being a woman, the young.

It is therefore an excellent device to acquire knowledge from everybody.

The heaven of the envied is hell for the envious. [...because they focus on what they don't have rather than being grateful for what they have, which is always better than some others.]

Tis much to gain universal admiration; more, universal love.

Not he that adorns but he that adores makes a divinity.

Knowing how to keep a friend is more important than gaining a new one.

When everyone covets something, they are easily annoyed by it.

It is profound philosophy to sound the depths of feeling and distinguish traits of character. Men must be studied as deeply as books.

The greatest wisdom often consist in ignorance.

You should aim to be independent of any one vote, of any one fashion, of any one century.

Success rarely brings satisfaction.

Deceit comes in through the ears, but usually leaves through the eyes.

Friends provoked become the bitterest of enemies.

Many would be wise if they did not think themselves wise.

The passions are the humors of the mind, and the least excess sickens our judgment. If the disease spreads to the mouth, your reputation will be in danger.

Oh life, you should never had begun, but since you did, you should never end

You have to appear wiser and more prudent than is required by the people you are dealing with if you want to give a high opinion of yourself.

Man is born a barbarian, and only raises himself above the beast by culture.

No one demands more caution than a spy, and when someone has the skeleton key to minds, counter him by leaving the key of caution inside, on the other side of the keyhole.

There must be something good in a thing that pleases so many; even if it cannot be explained, it is certainly enjoyed.

La galantería y la honra tienen esta ventaja, que se quedan: aquélla en quien la usa, ésta en quien la haze.

It is a novel kind of supremacy, the best that life can offer, to have as servants by skill those who by nature are our masters.

One who was abhorred by all in prosperity is adored by all in adversity.

If you are wise live as you can if you cannot live as you would.

One who was adored by all in prosperity is abhorred by all in adversity.

He who finds Fortune on his side should go briskly ahead for she is wont to favor the bold.

Even knowledge has to be in fashion and where it is not it is wise to affect ignorance.

A prudent man will think more important what fate has conceded to him than what it has denied.

Friends are a second existence.

There is no wilderness like a life without friends friendship multiplies blessings and minimizes misfortunes it is a unique remedy against adversity and it soothes the soul.

Friendship multiplies the good of life and divides the evil. Tis the sole remedy against misfortune the very ventilation of the soul.

Good things when short are twice as good.

Wise men appreciate all men for they see the good in each and know how hard it is to make anything good.

The greatest wisdom often consists in ignorance.

'No' and 'Yes' are words quickly said but they need a great amount of thought before you utter them.

Attempt easy tasks as if they were difficult and difficult as if they were easy in the one case that confidence may not fall asleep in the other that it may not be dismayed.

Nothing arouses ambition so much as the trumpet clang of another's fame.

Little said is soon amended. There is always time to add a word never to withdraw one.

Nothing really belongs to us but time which even he has who has nothing else.

Time and I against any two.

Truth always lags last limping along on the arm of Time.

It is a great misfortune to be of use to nobody scarcely less to be of use to everybody.

A sage has one advantage he is immortal. If this is not his century many others will be.

Words are feminine deeds are masculine.

Always leave something to wish for otherwise you will be miserable from your very happiness.