Giles Lytton Strachey Quotes & Sayings

Men are so self-complacent in their own affairs, and so willing to deceive themselves, that they are rescued with difficulty from this pest. If they wish to defend themselves they run the risk of becoming contemptible. — Niccolo Machiavelli

Throughout this protracted and disgraceful assault on American womanhood, the clergy baptized each new insult and act of injustice in the name of the Christian religion, and uniformly asked God's blessing on proceedings that would have put to shame an assembly of Hottentots. — Elizabeth Cady Stanton

If we are willing to act violently in pursuit of a peripheral interest, everyone can be certain that, when a vital interest is at stake, we will be still more violent. 'Credibility' is defined as the willingness to kill a lot of people now for a not very good cause to assure the world that we'll kill a lot more people if we can find a better one. — Adam Gopnik

As it happened that Elizabeth had much rather not, she endeavoured in her answer to put an end to every entreaty and expectation of the kind. Such relief, however, as it was in her power to afford, — Jane Austen

It is not a question of living dangerously. That formula is too arrogant, too presumptuous. I don't care much for bull-fighters. It's not the danger I love. I know what I love. It is life itself. — Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Because (in principle) things outlast us, they know more about us than we know about them: they carry the experiences they have had with us inside them and are - in fact- the book of our history opened before us. — W.G. Sebald

People sometimes tell me that they're afraid to pursue seeing in the spirit because they think seeing all the demonic will overwhelm them. The truth is that it's much more terrifying to see how much God cares for us. It's a love that changes everything it touches. You can never go back once you've seen it. You'll forgive when you don't want to, give up anger before you're ready, and become friends with people you wouldn't have wanted to sit next to. All inspired by the profound revelation of his unyielding love. — Blake K. Healy

Old Lights include the resurgent fundamentalists in every religion who put a freeze on history and fortify their adherents against the "new dark age" in which they are forced to live. "Back to the Bible," Old Lights shout; "back to the Koran," Old Lights thunder. But not everything Old Lights say is wrong. Much is right. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, the old adage reminds us. — Leonard Sweet

Our best canvas is all around us, in everything we touch and do. — Fennel Hudson

complaints book may be sufficient to bring about a change in — Gerald Kelly

Jiu Jitsu has given me something to pursue. We all need something to work towards. For people, as well as every piece of matter in the universe, there is no such thing as maintenance. If you are not growing you are decaying. The insidious nature of modern times is that it is so easy not to pursue anything. Societal norms pressure us into jobs we do not like, and the daily comforts of televisions and computers offer much in the way of distraction. If that isn't enough, there is always the numbing effects of alcohol coupled with attention-grabbing sporting events which conveniently run year round so one is never short of stimulus. — Chris Matakas

The organic material, as the laws of chemistry state, can neither be created nor destroyed. — Dixie Lee Ray

We're immersed in the spirit of God all the time. We just don't notice. — Dan Millman

Killing became the same thing as having sex. — Henry Lee Lucas