It is better to meet danger than to wait for it. He that is on a lee shore, and foresees a hurricane, stands out to sea and encounters a storm to avoid a shipwreck. Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes by Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes From Charles Caleb Colton In its primary signification, all vice, that is, all excess, brings on its own punishment, even here. By certain fixed, settled and established laws of Him who is the God of nature, excess of every kind destroys that constitution which temperance would preserve. The debauchee offers up his body a "living sacrifice to sin. Charles Caleb Colton punishment sacrifice law Fortune, like other females, prefers a lover to a master, and submits with impatience to control; but he that wooes her with opportunity and importunity will seldom court her in vain. Charles Caleb Colton female lovers opportunity Man is an embodied paradox, a bundle of contradictions. Charles Caleb Colton paradox humanity men Ignorance is a blank sheet, on which we may write; but error is a scribbled one, on which we must first erase. Charles Caleb Colton ignorance mistake writing He that is good will infallibly become better, and he that is bad will as certainly become worse; for vice, virtue, and time are three things that never stand still. Charles Caleb Colton three-things progress wisdom Life isn't like a book. Life isn't logical or sensible or orderly. Life is a mess most of the time. And theology must be lived in the midst of that mess. Charles Caleb Colton logical life book Honor is unstable and seldom the same; for she feeds upon opinion, and is as fickle as her food. Charles Caleb Colton fickle opinion honor There are two principles of established acceptance in morals; first, that self-interest is the mainspring of all of our actions, and secondly, that utility is the test of their value. Charles Caleb Colton acceptance self two No two things differ more than hurry and dispatch. Hurry is the mark of a weak mind, dispatch of a strong one. A weak man in office, like a squirrel in a cage, is laboring eternally, but to no purpose, and is in constant motion without getting on a job; like a turnstile, he is in everybody's way, but stops nobody; he talks a great deal, but says very little; looks into everything but sees nothing; and has a hundred irons in the fire, but very few of them are hot, and with those few that are, he only burns his fingers. Charles Caleb Colton strong jobs men He that places himself neither higher nor lower than he ought to do exercises the truest humility. Charles Caleb Colton higher humility exercise As the gout seems privileged to attack the bodies of the wealthy, so ennui seems to exert a similar prerogative over their minds. Charles Caleb Colton gout body mind The victims of ennui paralyze all the grosser feelings by excess, and torpify all the finer by disuse and inactivity. Disgusted with this world, and indifferent about another, they at last lay violent hands upon themselves, and assume no small credit for the sang froid with which they meet death. But, alas! such beings can scarcely be said to die, for they have never truly lived. Charles Caleb Colton feelings hands world A high degree of intellectual refinement in the female is the surest pledge society can have for the improvement of the male. Charles Caleb Colton males women intellectual When the frustration of my helplessness seemed greatest, I discovered God's grace was more than sufficient. And after my imprisonment, I could look back and see how God used my powerlessness for His purpose. What He has chosen for my most significant witness was not my triumphs or victories, but my defeat. Charles Caleb Colton frustration grace power Knowledge is two-fold, and consists not only in an affirmation of what is true, but in the negation of that which is false. Charles Caleb Colton two science knowledge Some persons will tell you, with an air of the miraculous, that they recovered although they were given over; whereas they might with more reason have said, they recovered because they were given over. Charles Caleb Colton physicians air might Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books. Charles Caleb Colton good-friend healing book Tyrants have not yet discovered any chains that can fetter the mind. Charles Caleb Colton tyrants freedom mind The mistakes of the fool are known to the world, but not to himself. The mistakes of the wise man are known to himself, but not to the world. Charles Caleb Colton wisdom wise funny Men are born with two eyes, but with one tongue, in order that they should see twice as much as they say. Charles Caleb Colton eye clever men
