Quotes about Perspective

Prejudice, not being founded on reason, cannot be removed by argument.

As I know more of mankind I expect less of them, and am ready now to call a man a good man upon easier terms than I was formerly.

Whoever thou art that, not content with a moderate condition, imaginest happiness in royal magnificence, and dreamest that command or riches can feed the appetite of novelty with perpetual gratifications, survey the Pyramids, and confess thy folly!

Pleasure is never as pleasant as we expected it to be and pain is always more painful. The pain in the world always outweighs the pleasure. If you don't believe it, compare the respective feelings of two animals, one of which is eating the other.

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.

Often we judge ourselves by our intentions and everyone else by their actions. It is possible to intend one thing while communicating something totally different. Sometimes our true motives are cleverly hidden even from us.

Yet consider now, whether women are not quite past sense and reason, when they want to rule over men.

When the same qualities which we admire in ourselves are seen in others, even though they be superior, maliciously lower and carp at them.

They who take it amiss that the world was not sooner created, may as well expostulate with God for not having made innumerable worlds.

As a consequence, we must infer that man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God's majesty.

We see how mankind, without well thinking what they are doing, pursue, with impetuous and   ardent affections, the transitory things of this world; but, in thus catching at the empty shadow of a happy life, they lose true happiness itself.

Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.