Quintilian Quotes

That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes.

The soul languishing in obscurity contracts a kind of rust, or abandons itself to the chimera of presumption; for it is natural for it to acquire something, even when separated from any one.

It is easier to do many things than to do one thing continuously for a long time.

Where evil habits are once settled, they are more easily broken than mended.

The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression.

It seldom happens that a premature shoot of genius ever arrives at maturity.

For comic writers charge Socrates with making the worse appear the better reason.

Suffering itself does less afflict the senses than the apprehension of suffering.

As regards parents, I should like to see them as highly educated as possible, and I do not restrict this remark to fathers alone.

Verse satire indeed is entirely our own.

Conscience is a thousand witnesses.

Men of quality are in the wrong to undervalue, as they often do, the practise of a fair and quick hand in writing; for it is no immaterial accomplishment.

That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.

Those who wish to appear learned to fools, appear as fools to the learned.

Fear of the future is worse than one's present fortune.

Men, even when alone, lighten their labors by song, however rude it may be.

Usage is the best language teacher.

Virtue, though she gets her beginning from nature, yet receives her finishing touches from learning.

Medicine for the dead is too late

Let us never adopt the maxim, Rather lose our friend than our jest.

It is much easier to try one's hand at many things than to concentrate one's powers on one thing.

While we ponder when to begin, it becomes too late to do.

By writing quickly we are not brought to write well, but by writing well we are brought to write quickly.

From writing rapidly it does not result that one writes well, but from writing well it results that one writes rapidly.

A liar must have a good memory. -Mendacem oportet esse memorem

She abounds with lucious faults.

Nothing can be pleasing which is not also becoming.

(Slaughter) means blood and iron. [Lat., Coedes videtur significare sanguinem et ferrum.]

Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty. [Lat., Nimis in veritate, et similitudinis quam pulchritudinis amantior.]

Lately we have had many losses.

A Woman who is generous with her money is to be praised; not so, if she is generous with her person

Although virtue receives some of its excellencies from nature, yet it is perfected by education. [Lat., Virtus, etiamsi quosdam impetus a natura sumit, tamen perficienda doctrina est.]

For all the best teachers pride themselves on having a large number of pupils and think themselves worthy of a bigger audience.

Nature herself has never attempted to effect great changes rapidly.

A liar ought to have a good memory.

A religion without mystics is a philosophy.

It is the nurse that the child first hears, and her words that he will first attempt to imitate.

If you direct your whole thought to work itself none of the things which invade eyes or ears will reach the mind.