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.

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.]

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.

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.

Who pleases one against his will.

Who pleases one against his will.

Let the fictitious sources of pleasure be as near as possible to
the true.
[Lat., Ficta voluptatis causa read more

Let the fictitious sources of pleasure be as near as possible to
the true.
[Lat., Ficta voluptatis causa sint proxima veris.]

That, though on pleasure she was bent,
She had a frugal mind.

That, though on pleasure she was bent,
She had a frugal mind.

Plato divinely calls pleasure the bait of evil, inasmuch as men
are caught by it as fish by a read more

Plato divinely calls pleasure the bait of evil, inasmuch as men
are caught by it as fish by a hook.
[Lat., Divine Plato escam malorum appeliat voluptatem, quod ea
videlicet homines capiantur, ut pisces hamo.]

In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls.

In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls.