So possible is it for us to roll ourselves up in wickedness, till we grow invulnerable by conscience; and that sentinel, once dozed, sleeps fast, not to be awakened while the tide of pleasure continues to flow or till something dark and dreadful brings us to ourselves again.

Daniel Defoe

Categorized in : Sleep Dark Wickedness

It is better to have a lion at the head of an army of sheep, than a sheep at the head of an army of lions.

army leadership sheep

The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear.

lust literature soul-and-body

Expect nothing and you'll always be surprised by Daniel Defoe

Expect nothing and you'll always be surprised

expect-nothing

It is never too late to be wise. by Daniel Defoe

It is never too late to be wise.

being-wise wise too-late

Fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger... by Daniel Defoe

Fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself.

thousand danger fear

The height of human wisdom is to bring our tempers down to our circumstances, and to make a calm within, under the weight of the greatest storm without.

storm weight wisdom

For I cannot think that GOD Almighty ever made them [women] so delicate, so glorious creatures; and furnished them with such charms, so agreeable and so delightful to mankind; with souls capable of the same accomplishments with men: and all, to be only Stewards of our Houses, Cooks, and Slaves.

house men thinking

All our discontents about what we want appeared to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have.

thankfulness spring thank-you

Justice is always Violence to the Party offending, for every Man... by Daniel Defoe

Justice is always Violence to the Party offending, for every Man is Innocent in his own Eyes.

party eye men

Today we love what tomorrow we hate, today we seek what tomorrow we shun, today we desire what tomorrow we fear, nay, even tremble at the apprehensions of.

hate desire today

I learned to look more upon the bright side of my condition, and less upon the dark side, and to consider what I enjoyed, rather than what I wanted : and this gave me sometimes such secret comforts, that I cannot express them ; and which I take notice of here, to put those discontented people in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them, because they see and covet something that he has not given them. All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have.

dark spring people

The best of men cannot suspend their fate; The good die early, an... by Daniel Defoe

The best of men cannot suspend their fate; The good die early, and the bad die late.

fate literature men

Necessity makes an honest man a knave. by Daniel Defoe

Necessity makes an honest man a knave.

honesty literature men

A rich man is an honest man--no thanks to him; for he would be a double knave, to cheat mankind when he had no need of it: he has no occasion to press upon his integrity, nor so much as to touch upon the borders of dishonesty.

borders integrity men

Pride, the first peer and president of Hell. by Daniel Defoe

Pride, the first peer and president of Hell.

peers pride president

Wherever God erects a house of prayer by Daniel Defoe

Wherever God erects a house of prayer

atheism prayer house

I saw the Cloud, though I did not foresee the Storm. by Daniel Defoe

I saw the Cloud, though I did not foresee the Storm.

storm saws clouds

Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself when apparent to the eyes ; and we find the burden of anxiety greater, by much, than the evil which we are anxious about.

anxiety eye evil

I had been tricked once by that Cheat called love, but the Game w... by Daniel Defoe

I had been tricked once by that Cheat called love, but the Game was over.

cheat games

Friends are good,--good, if well chosen. by Daniel Defoe

Friends are good,--good, if well chosen.

chosen wells ifs