Baltasar Gracian
Baltasar Gracian
Baltasar Gracián y Morales, SJ, formerly Anglicized as Baltazar Gracian, was a Spanish Jesuit and baroque prose writer and philosopher. He was born in Belmonte, near Calatayud. His writings were lauded by Schopenhauer and Nietzsche...
NationalitySpanish
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth8 January 1601
CountrySpain
fall doors should-have
Do not be inaccessible. None is so perfect that he does not need at times the advice of others. He is an incorrigible ass who will never listen to any one. Even the most surpassing intellect should find a place for friendly counsel. Sovereignty itself must learn to lean. There are some that are incorrigible simply because they are inaccessible: They fall to ruin because none dares to extricate them. The highest should have the door open for friendship; it may prove the gate of help. A friend must be free to advise, and even to upbraid, without feeling embarrassed.
doe appearance consideration
What is not seen is as if it was not. Even the Right does not receive proper consideration if it does not seem right.
inspirational motivational art
The great art of giving consists in this the gift should cost very little and yet be greatly coveted, so that it may be the more highly appreciated.
adversity prosperity
One who was adored by all in prosperity is abhorred by all in adversity.
art giving recourse
Nature scarcely ever gives us the very best; for that we must have recourse to art.
trying deceit deceiving
Cunning grows in deceit at seeing itself discovered, and tries to deceive with truth itselft.
success goal people
Take care to make things turn out well. Some people scruple more over pointing things in the right direction than over successfully reaching their goals. The disgrace of failure outweighs the diligence they showed. A winner is never asked for explanations.
work skills kind
It is a novel kind of supremacy, the best that life can offer, to have as servants by skill those who by nature are our masters.
work ease
To be at ease is better than to be at business.
memories remember forgotten
The things we remember best are those better forgotten.
self-improvement obscure strive
I strive to be brief, and I become obscure.
gratitude grateful heaven
The heaven of the envied is hell for the envious. [...because they focus on what they don't have rather than being grateful for what they have, which is always better than some others.]
nice honor enemy
Treat your enemies with courtesy, and you'll see how valuable it really is. It costs little but pays a nice dividend: those who honor are honored. Politeness and a sense of honor have this advantage: we bestow them on others without losing a thing.
success satisfaction
Success rarely brings satisfaction.