Quotes about Life

Human life is every where a state in which much is to be endured, and little to be enjoyed.

Do not suffer life to stagnate, it will grow muddy for want of motion; commit yourself again to the current of the world.

He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own dispositions will waste his life in fruitless efforts and multiply the griefs which he purposes to remove

The certainty that life cannot be long, and the probability that it will be much shorter than nature allows, ought to awaken every man to the active prosecution of whatever he is desirous to perform. It is true, that no diligence can ascertain success; death may intercept the swiftest career; but he who is cut off in the execution of an honest undertaking has at least the honour of falling in his rank, and has fought the battle, though he missed the victory.

If the changes that we fear be thus irresistible, what remains but to acquiesce with silence, as in the other insurmountable distresses of humanity? It remains that we retard what we cannot repel, that we palliate what we cannot cure. Life may be lengthened by care, though death cannot be ultimately defeated: tongues, like governments, have a natural tendency to degeneration; we have long preserved our constitution, let us make some struggles for our language.

To me,' said the Princess, 'the choice of life is become less important; I hope hereafter to think only on the choice of eternity.

From the perpetual necessity of consulting the animal faculties, in our provision for the present life, arises the difficulty of withstanding their impulses, even in cases where they ought to be of no weight; for the motions of sense are instantaneous, its objects strike unsought, we are accustomed to follow its directions, and therefore often submit to the sentence without examining the authority of the judge.

This world, where much is to be done and little to be known.

He bemoans our miseries with the tender pity of a Cowper, who, in warning us of life's grovelling pursuits and empty joys, seeks, by withdrawing us from their delusive dominion, to prepare us for "another and a better world." No.

neglected.Locke.2. Reformation of life. Our Lord and Saviour was of opinion, that they which would not be drawn to amendment of life, by the testimony which Moses and the prophets have given, concerning the miseries that follow sinners after death, were not likely to be persuaded by other means, although God from the dead should have raised them up preachers.Hooker,b. v. ¶ 22. Behold! famine and plague, tribulation and anguish, are sent as scourges for amendment.Bible2 Esdras,xvi. 19.

It has been, from age to age, an affectation to love the pleasure of solitude, among those who cannot possibly be supposed qualified for passing life in that manner.Spectator,No 264.

The love of life is necessary to the vigorous prosecution of any undertaking.