Raleigh, Sir Walter quotes
1552-1618 British Courtier Navigator WriterThere is nothing exempt from the peril of mutation; the earth, heavens, and whole world is thereunto subject.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Change
O eloquent, just, and mighty Death! whom none could advise, thou hast persuaded; what none hath dared, thou hast done; and whom all the world hath flattered, thou only hath cast out of the world and despised. Thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched greatness, all the pride, cruelty, and ambition of man, and covered it all over with these two narrow words, Hic jacet!
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Death and Dying
No man is esteemed for colorful garments except by fools and women.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Dress
Be advised what thou dost discourse of, and what thou maintainest whether touching religion, state, or vanity; for if thou err in the first, thou shalt be accounted profane; if in the second, dangerous; if in the third, indiscreet and foolish.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Discretion
Talking much is a sign of vanity, for the one who is lavish with words is cheap in deeds.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Deeds and Good Deeds
Historians desiring to write the actions of men, ought to set down the simple truth, and not say anything for love or hatred; also to choose such an opportunity for writing as it may be lawful to think what they will, and write what they think, which is a rare happiness of the time.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
History and Historians
No one is wise or safe, but they that are honest.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Honesty
Who so taketh in hand to frame any state or government ought to presuppose that all men are evil, and at occasions will show themselves so to be.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Government
It is the nature of men having escaped one extreme, which by force they were constrained long to endure, to run headlong into the other extreme, forgetting that virtue doth always consist in the mean.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Extremes and Extremists
All histories do show, and wise politicians do hold it necessary that, for the well-governing of every Commonweal, it behoveth man to presuppose that all men are evil, and will declare themselves so to be when occasion is offered.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Evil
Hatreds are the cinders of affection.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Hatred
But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestations; for a wolf resembles a dog, so doth a flatterer a friend.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Flattery
Better were it to be unborn than to be ill bred.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Manners
I wish I loved the Human Race; I wish I loved its silly face; I wish I liked the way it walks; I wish I liked the way it talks; And when I m introduced to one I wish I thought What Jolly Fun!
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Humankind
He that doth not as other men do, but endeavoureth that which ought to be done, shall thereby rather incur peril than preservation; for who so laboreth to be sincerely perfect and good shall necessarily perish, living among men that are generally evil.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Integrity
Who so desireth to know what will be hereafter, let him think of what is past, for the world hath ever been in a circular revolution; whatsoever is now, was heretofore; and things past or present, are no other than such as shall be again: Redit orbis in orbem.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Past
All, or the greatest part of men that have aspired to riches or power, have attained thereunto either by force or fraud, and what they have by craft or cruelty gained, to cover the foulness of their fact, they call purchase, as a name more honest. Howsoever, he that for want of will or wit useth not those means, must rest in servitude and poverty.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Power
Remember if you marry for beauty, thou bindest thyself all thy life for that which perchance, will neither last nor please thee one year: and when thou hast it, it will be to thee of no price at all.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Beauty
The world is but a large prison, out of which some are daily selected for execution.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
World
War begets quiet, quiet idleness, idleness disorder, disorder ruin; likewise ruin order, order virtue, virtue glory, and good fortune.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
War
Use your youth so that you may have comfort to remember it when it has forsaken you, and not sigh and grieve at the account thereof.
Raleigh, Sir Walter
Youth