Thomas Fuller

England
24 Jun 1654 // 17 Sep 1734
Physician / Preacher / Intellectual

Quotes

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Those passionate persons who carry their heart in their mouth are rather to be pitied than feared; their threatenings serving no other purpose than to forearm him that is threatened
The pains we take in books or arts which treat of things remote from the necessaries of life is a busy idleness
The greatest man living may stand in need of the meanest, as much as the meanest does of him
Take this as a most certain expedient to prevent many afflictions, and to be delivered from them: meddle as little with the world, and the honors, places and advantages of them, as thou canst. And extricate thyself from them as much, and as quickly as possible
One month in the school of affliction will teach thee more than the great precepts of Aristotle in seven years; for thou canst never judge rightly of human affairs, unless thou hast first felt the blows, and found out the deceits of fortune
Oh the difference of divers men in the tenderness of their consciences! Some are scarcely touched with a wound while others are wounded with a touch therein
Make not a bosom friend of a melancholy soul; he'll be sure to aggravate thy adversity and lessen thy prosperity. He goes always heavily loaded, and thou must bear half. He is never in a good humor, and may easily get into a bad one, and fall out with thee
Let friendship creep gently to a height; if it rush to it, it may soon run itself out of breath
Thou mayst as well expect to grow strong by always eating as wiser by always reading. Too much overcharges nature, and turns more into disease than nourishment. 'Tis thought and digestion which makes books serviceable, and gives health and vigor to the mind
If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it
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On Anger: "For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind."
Essays
On Destiny: "Our destiny exercises its influence over us even when, as yet, we have not learned its nature: it is our future that lays down the law of our today."
Human, All Too Human
On Friendship: "A crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love."
Essays