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
Baltasar Gracian quotes about
order envy may
It is good to vary in order that you may frustrate the curious, especially those who envy you.
patience no-patience retiring
Let him that hath no power of patience retire within himself, though even there he will have to put up with himself.
wisdom forever waiting
Wisdom is immortal. She can wait forever, but you cannot.
friendship real-friends advice
Never have a companion that casts you in the shade.
beauty companion folly
Beauty and folly are generally companions.
divinity adore
Not he that adorns but he that adores makes a divinity.
fashion style doe
A person of your century: Great persons are of their time. Not all were born into a period worthy of them, and many so born failed to benefit by it. Some merited a better century, for all that is good does not always triumph. Fashions have their periods and even the greatest virtues, their styles. But the philosopher, being ageless, has one advantage: Should this not prove the right century, many to follow will.
thinking done undone
For a thing to remain undone nothing more is needed than to think of it done.
wise fashion knowledge
Even knowledge has to be in the fashion, and where it is not, it is wise to affect ignorance.
winning advice luck
Leave your luck while still winning.
fingers shows wounded
Do not show your wounded finger for everything will knock up against it.
witty should-have credit
Many get the repute of being witty but thereby lose the credit of being sensible. Jest has its little hour, seriousness should have all the rest.
dog time men
At twenty a man is a peacock, at thirty a lion, at forty a camel, at fifty a serpent, at sixty a dog, at seventy an ape, at eighty a nothing at all.
wise wisdom character
The wise have a solid sense of silence and the ability to keep a storehouse of secrets. Their capacity and character are respected.