Before passionately craving something, we should ascertain how happy are those who possess it.[Avant que de désirer fortement une chose, il faut examiner quel est le bonheur de celui qui la possède.]
Be a function of your values rather than a function of the impulse or desire of any given moment.
At table, I prefer the witty before the grave: in bed, beauty before goodness.[A la familiarité de la table, i’associe le plaisant, non le prudent: au lict, la beauté auant la bonté.]
Art never harms itself by keeping aloof from the social problems of the day: rather, by so doing, it more completely realises for us that which we desire.
Ambition – the desire to succeed – to have power – leads to most ills of the human soul.
All one wants one gets!
Abstinence sows sand all over the ruddy limbs and flaming hair; but desire gratified plants fruits of life and beauty there.
A man never feels the loss of things which it never occurs to him to ask for.[Die Güter, auf welche Anspruch zu machen einem Menschen nie in den Sinn gekommen ist, entbehrt er durchaus nicht sondern ist.]
A human being has a natural desire to have more of a good thing than he needs.
A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal which is worth achieving.
“Opinions” are the cheapest commodities on earth. Everyone has a flock of opinions ready to be wished upon anyone who will accept them. If you are influenced by “opinions” when you reach DECISIONS, you will not succeed in any undertaking, much less in that of transmuting YOUR OWN DESIRE into money.
‘Tis easier to suppress the first Desire, than to satisfy all that follow it.
