The planting of trees is the least self-centered of all that we can do. It is a purer act of faith than the procreation of children. Thornton Wilder More Quotes by Thornton Wilder More Quotes From Thornton Wilder Everybody's talking about people breaking into houses but there are more people in the world who want to break out of houses. Thornton Wilder perspective talking people I rose by sheer military ability to the rank of corporal. Thornton Wilder military soldier rose Marriage is a bribe to make a housekeeper think she's a householder. Thornton Wilder marriage funny thinking The theatre is supremely fitted to say: 'Behold! These things are.' Yet most dramatists employ it to say: 'This moral truth can be learned from beholding this action.' Thornton Wilder moral theatre action She had never realized any love save love as passion. Such love, though it expends itself in generosity and thoughtfulness, though it give birth to visions and to great poetry, remains among the sharpest expressions of self-interest. Not until it has passed though a long servitude, though its own self-hatred, though mockery, though great doubts, can it take its place among the loyalties. Many who have spent a lifetime in it can tell us less of love than the child that lost a dog yesterday. Thornton Wilder loyalty dog children Leadership is for those who love the public good and are endowed and trained to administer it. Thornton Wilder public-good The difference between a little money and no money at all is enormous-and can shatter the world. And the difference between a little money and an enormous amount of money is very slight-and that, also, can shatter the world. Thornton Wilder differences money world He regarded love as a sort of cruel malady through which the elect are required to pass in their late youth and from which they emerge, pale and wrung, but ready for the business of living. Thornton Wilder pale late youth There are the stars--doing their old, old crisscross journeys in the sky. Scholars haven't settled the matter yet, but they seem to think there are no living beings out there. Just chalk... or fire. Only this one is straining away, straining away all the time to make something of itself. Strain's so bad that every sixteen hours everybody lies down and gets a rest. Thornton Wilder stars journey lying A convention is an agreed-upon falsehood, a permitted lie. Thornton Wilder falsehood conventions lying Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you. Thornton Wilder realizing earth wonderful On Friday noon, July the twentieth, 1714, the finest bridge in all Peru broke and precipitated five travelers into the gulf below. Thornton Wilder july friday bridges I would love to be the poet laureate of Coney Island. Thornton Wilder poetic islands love If I wasn't an actor, I'd be a secret agent. Thornton Wilder actors acting secret In advertising, not to be different is virtual suicide. Thornton Wilder marketing different suicide Many plays - certainly mine - are like blank checks. The actors and directors put their own signatures on them. Thornton Wilder signatures play directors The future author is one who discovers that language, the exploration and manipulation of the resources of language, will serve him in winning through to his way. Thornton Wilder winning writing way I am my own judge of what truths I shall tell. The truth can do just as much harm as a lie. Thornton Wilder telling-the-truth judging lying For what human ill does dawn not seem to be alternative? Thornton Wilder health choices dawn Doctors are mostly impostors. The older a doctor is and the more venerated he is, the more he must pretend to know everything. Of course, they grow worse with time. Always look for a doctor who is hated by the best doctors. Always seek out a bright young doctor before he comes down with nonsense. Thornton Wilder nonsense doctors looks
