R.S. Thomas Quotes

Too many instances there are of daring men, who by presuming to sound the deep things of religion, have cavilled and argued themselves out of all religion.

Oh, how quickly the world's glory passes away.

Though weary, it is not tired: though pressed it is not straightened; though alarmed, it is not confounded; but as a living flame it forces itself upwards and securely passes through all.

He does much who loves much.

If thou be not busy for thyself now, who shall be busy for thee in time to come?

He is truly great that is little in himself, and that maketh no account of any height of honors.

Our own opinion of ourselves should be lower than that formed by others, for we have a better chance at our imperfections.

Thy peace shall be in much patience.

Have therefore zeal to better thyself and then mayst thou have zeal to thy neighbor.

At the least bear patiently, if thou canst not joyfully.

Is a man one whit the better because he is grown great in other men's esteem?

For they truly know their Lord in the breaking of bread, whose heart within them so vehemently burneth, whilst Thou, O blessed Jesus, dost walk and converse with them.

Whoever would fully and feelingly understand the words of Christ, must endeavor to conform his life wholly to the life of Christ.

Thou shalt ever joy at eventide if thou spend the day fruitfully.

Wherever you go, you will always bear yourself about with you, and so you will always find yourself.

Love longs to be free, a stranger to every worldly desire, lest its inner vision become dimmed, and lest worldly self-interest hinder it or ill-fortune cast it down.

Whoever strives to withdraw from obedience, withdraws from grace.

He does much who loves God much, and he does much who does his deed well, and he does his deed well who does it rather for the common good than for his own will.

The end of all is death and man's life passeth away suddenly as a shadow.

Be therefore thankful for the least gift, so shalt thou be worthy to receive greater.

To take no account of oneself, but always to think well and highly of others is the highest wisdom and perfection.

The inventor tries to meet the demand of a crazy civilization.

I am much less interested in what is called God's word than in God's deeds. All bibles are man-made.

There cannot be overproduction of anything which men and women want. And their wants are unlimited, except by the size of their stomachs.

In creating technology for ourselves we created it for the world.

An average American loves his family. If he has any love left over for some other person, he generally selects Mark Twain.

I never failed. It just didn't work 10,000 times.

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 foundations and individual donors whose priorities don't align with my organization's.

I love great music and art, but I think 'cubist' songs and paintings are hideous.

Let the public throw bouquets to the inventors and in time we will all be happy.

Direct thought is not an attribute of feminity. In this, women are now centuries behind man.

We are striking it big in the electric light, better than my vivid imagination first conceived. Where this thing is going to stop Lord only knows.

Books will soon be obsolete in the schools... Our school system will be completely changed in the next ten years.

The roots of tobacco plants must go clear through to hell. Satan's principal agent Dyspepsia must have charge of this branch of the vegetable kingdom.

I am afraid of radium and polonium ... I don't want to monkey with them.

It is the best book ever written on the subject. There is nothing like it!

I know of over 3,000 ways [that] a light bulb does not work.

Radio is just a fashion contrivance that will soon die out. It is obvious that there never will be invented a proper receiver!

Interest is the invention of Satan.

The covetous man is like a camel with a great hunch on his back; heaven's gate must be made Higher and broader, or he will hardly get in.

Alas! that the farthest and of all our thoughts should be the thought of our ends.

Half our virtue arises from our being out of the way of temptation.

Conscience is God's deputy in the soul.

He who sends the storm steers the vessel.

Blessed be God, I not only begin praying when I kneel down, but I do not leave off praying when I rise up.

Better a holy discord than a profane concord.

The devil makes his Christmas-pie of lawyers' tongues and clerks' fingers.

His father was no man's friend but his own, and he is no man's for else.

Indulgences should never be hesitant.

The trouble with hope is that it only pays off when there's some sense in back of it.