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Virtue dwells at the head of a river, to which we cannot get but by rowing against the stream.

Owen Feltham

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Owen Feltham
Died: 1668
Died: January 1
Writer
Owen Felltham
Rivers
Virtue
Head
Cannot
Rowing
Dwells
Stream
Streams
River

More quotes by Owen Feltham

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Perfection is immutable. But for things imperfect change is the way to perfect them. It gets the name of wilfulness when it will not admit of a lawful change to the better. Therefore constancy without knowledge cannot be always good. In things ill it is not virtue, but an absolute vice.
Owen Feltham
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Discontents are sometimes the better part of our life. I know not well which is the most useful joy I may choose for pleasure, but adversities are the best for profit and sometimes those do so far help me, as I should, without them, want much of the joy I have.
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Zeal without humanity is like a ship without a rudder, liable to be stranded at any moment
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Praise has different effects, according to the mind it meets with it makes a wise man modest, but a fool more arrogant, turning his weak brain giddy.
Owen Feltham
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By gaming we lose both our time and treasure - two things most precious to the life of man.
Owen Feltham
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There is no man but for his own interest hath an obligation to be honest. There may be sometimes temptations to be otherwise but, all cards cast up, he shall find it the greatest ease, the highest profit, the best pleasure, the most safety, and the noblest fame, to hold the horns of this altar, which, in all assays, can in himself protect him.
Owen Feltham
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It is to be doubted whether he will ever find the way to heaven who desires to go thither alone.
Owen Feltham
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The boundary of man is moderation. When once we pass that pale our guardian angel quits his charge of us.
Owen Feltham
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There is no belittling worse than to over praise a man.
Owen Feltham
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Vice is a peripatetic, always in progression.
Owen Feltham
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Every man should study conciseness in speaking it is a sign of ignorance not to know that long speeches, though they may please the speaker, are the torture of the hearer.
Owen Feltham
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He that always waits upon God is ready whenever He calls. Neglect not to set your accounts even he is a happy man who to lives as that death at all times may find him at leisure to die.
Owen Feltham
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Discontent is like ink poured into water, which fills the whole fountain full of blackness.
Owen Feltham
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Contemplation is necessary to generate an object, but action must propagate it.
Owen Feltham
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The irresolute man flecks from one egg to another, so hatches nothing.
Owen Feltham
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Business is the salt of life, which not only gives a grateful smack to it, but dries up those crudities that would offend, preserves from putrefaction and drives off all those blowing flies that would corrupt it.
Owen Feltham
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Virtue were a kind of misery if fame were all the garland that crowned her.
Owen Feltham
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Promises may get friends, but it is performance that must nurse and keep them.
Owen Feltham
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It is much safer to reconcile an enemy than to conquer him victory may deprive him of his poison, but reconciliation of his will.
Owen Feltham
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In business, three things are necessary: knowledge, temper, and time.
Owen Feltham