I live and reign since I have abandoned those pleasures which you
by your praises extol to the skies.
read more

I live and reign since I have abandoned those pleasures which you
by your praises extol to the skies.
[Lat., Vivo et regno, simul ista reliqui
Quae vos ad coelum effertis rumore secundo.]

Pleasure the servant, Virtue looking on.

Pleasure the servant, Virtue looking on.

When the idea of any pleasure strikes your imagination, make a just computation between the duration of the pleasure and read more

When the idea of any pleasure strikes your imagination, make a just computation between the duration of the pleasure and that of the repentance that is likely to follow it.

In our amusements a certain limit is to be placed that we may not
devote ourselves to a life read more

In our amusements a certain limit is to be placed that we may not
devote ourselves to a life of pleasure and thence fall into
immorality.
[Lat., Ludendi etiam est quidam modus retinendus, ut ne nimis
omnia profundamus, elatique voluptate in aliquam turpitudinem
delabamur.]

Pleasure to me is wonder—the unexplored, the unexpected, the thing that is hidden and the changeless thing that lurks behind read more

Pleasure to me is wonder—the unexplored, the unexpected, the thing that is hidden and the changeless thing that lurks behind superficial mutability.

But pleasures are like poppies spread;
You seize the flower, its bloom is shed.
Or like the read more

But pleasures are like poppies spread;
You seize the flower, its bloom is shed.
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white--then melts forever.

The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by read more

The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident.

The average man does not get pleasure out of an idea because he thinks it is true; he thinks it read more

The average man does not get pleasure out of an idea because he thinks it is true; he thinks it is true because he gets pleasure out of it.

I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that I despise.

I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that I despise.