Eloquence may set fire to reason.

Eloquence may set fire to reason.

All extremes does perfect reason flee,
And wishes to be wise quite soberly.
[Fr., La parfaite raison read more

All extremes does perfect reason flee,
And wishes to be wise quite soberly.
[Fr., La parfaite raison fuit toute extremite,
Et veut que l'on soit sage avec sobriete.]

Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise;
His pride in reasoning, not in acting lies.

Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise;
His pride in reasoning, not in acting lies.

All is but a jest, all dust, all not worth two peason:
For why in man's matters is neither read more

All is but a jest, all dust, all not worth two peason:
For why in man's matters is neither rime nor reason.
[Lat., Omnia sunt risus, sunt pulvis, et omnia nil sunt:
Res hominum cunctae, nam ratione lies.]

You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into.

You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into.

Reason, however able, cool at best,
Cares not for service, or but serves when prest,
Stays till read more

Reason, however able, cool at best,
Cares not for service, or but serves when prest,
Stays till we call, and then not often near.

A noble heart will always capitulate to reason.

A noble heart will always capitulate to reason.

But all was false and hollow; though his tongue
Dropt manna, and could make the worse appear
read more

But all was false and hollow; though his tongue
Dropt manna, and could make the worse appear
The better reason, to perplex and dash
Maturest counsels.

For comic writers charge Socrates with making the worse appear
the better reason.
[Lat., Nam et Socrati objiciunt read more

For comic writers charge Socrates with making the worse appear
the better reason.
[Lat., Nam et Socrati objiciunt comici, docere eum quomodo
pejorem causam meliorem faciat.]