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
clever two people
Two kinds of people are good at foreseeing danger: those who have learned at their own expense, and the clever people who learn a great deal at the expense of others.
giving enemy gains
Possession hinders enjoyment. It merely gives you the right to keep things for or from others, and thus you gain more enemies than friends.
dry gilded
A gilded No is more satisfactory than a dry Yes.
wise wisdom impatient
The wise are always impatient, for he that increases knowledge increases impatience of folly.
success perseverance determination
Put a grain of boldness into everything you do.
knowledge greatness turns
Knowledge and courage take turns at greatness.
hate over-you victory
All victories breed, and that over your superior is foolish or fatal.
people busy
Many people who pretend to be very busy have the least to do.
real real-friends important
To keep is more important than to make friends.
procrastination putting-things-off done
He who puts off nothing till tomorrow has done a great deal.
art philosophy character
Character and intelligence are the poles you talent spins on, displaying your gifts.
solitude sage beast
He that can live alone resembles the brute beast in nothing, the sage in much, and God in everything.
opportunity arriving arrivals
One must pass through the circumference of time before arriving at the center of opportunity.
expectations advice promise
Keep expectation alive. Keep stirring it up. Let much promise more, and great deeds herald greater.