“In the end, nothing is lost. Every event, for good or evil, has effects forever.”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“History is mostly guessing, the rest is prejudice.”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“One of the lessons of history is that the gods can be silent in many languages.”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“قوة التقاليد تتناسب تناسباً عكسياً مع كثرة القوانين، كما أن قوة الغريزة تتناسب تناسباً عكسياً مع كثرة الأفكار”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“لأن الحب أمر ليس له وجود لأنه لما كانت العلاقة الجنسية أمراً مباحاً قبل الزواج، فإن عاطفة الرجل لا تجد من السدود ما يختزنها، وقلما يكون لها أثر في اختيار الزوجة؛ وللسبب نفسه، أعني تلاحق الشهوة وتنفيذها بغير فاصل من زمن، ليس لديهم ما يبرر أن يجلس الشاب مفكراً في طوية نفسه، في عاطفته التي احتبست في صدره والتي من أجل احتباسها أخذت تُزَين له الحبيب المُشتَهَى، مما يؤدي عادةً إلى الحب العاطفي عند الشباب؛ إن مثل هذا الحب وظهوره مرهون بالمدنية التي أقامت الأخلاق سدودا أمام الشهوة”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“ليس هو الجنس العظيم الذي يصنع المدنيّة بل المدينة العظيمة هي التي تخلق الشعوب، لأن الظروف الجغرافية والاقتصادية تخلق ثقافته، والثقافة تخلق النمط الذي يصاغ عليه.”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“In this loose structure law was weak, unpopular, and diverse. The people preferred to be ruled by custom, and to settle their disputes by face-saving compromises out of court. They expressed their view of litigation by such pithy proverbs as “Sue a flea and catch a bite,” or “Win your lawsuit, lose your money.”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“المدنية ليست إلا فترة عارضة موقوتة تتخلل وحشية الغابات”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“المدنية ليست شيئاً مجبولاً في فطرة الإنسان، كلا ولا هي شيء يستعصي على الفناء، إنما هي شيء لا بد أن يكتسبه كل جيل من الأجيال اكتساباً جديداً، فإذا ما حدث اضطراب خطير في عواملهاالاقتصادية أو في طرائق انتقالها من جيل إلى جيل فقد يكون عاملاً على فنائها.”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“ذلك أن الإنسان إذا ما بدأ يفكر في غده فقد خرج بذلك من جنة عدن إلى وادي الهموم، وحَلّت به صُفرة الغم، وهاهنا يشتد الجشع وتبدأ الملكية، ويزول البشر المتهلل الذي يعرفه الانسان الاول "الخلي من كل تفكير".”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“إذا ما حكمنا على العظمة بما كان للعظيم من أثرٍ في الناس ؛ قلنا إن محمداً [ صلى الله عليه وسلم ] كان من أعظم عظماء التاريخ”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“إن المتطرفين في عصر من العصور هم أنفسهم الرجعيون في العصر الذي يليه”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“إنه لواجب علينا أن يحترم كلًا منا أوهام الآخر”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“versions of Hippocrates’ Prognostics, Galen On Foods, and”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“if you are alone, you are all your own; with a companion you are half yourself; so you squander yourself according to the indiscretion of your company.”
― Will Durant, quote from The Story of Civilization
“To write things down as luck wasn't the same as writing them off as non-existent or in some way beneath consideration.”
― Kingsley Amis, quote from Lucky Jim
“How can you be lonely? You've got yourself, haven't you? If you ever lose yourself, then you'll really be lonely...”
― Joseph Delaney, quote from Revenge of the Witch
“They said that love was terrifying and tender, wild and sweet, and none of it made any sense.
But now I knew that every mad word was true.”
― Rosamund Hodge, quote from Cruel Beauty
“It’s just a devilish odd coincidence. I shared a boat – and a carriage – with Balcourt’s sister and cousin."
"I didn’t realise he had a sister."
"Well, he does." Richard abruptly pushed away his empty bowl.
"What a great stroke of luck! Could you use the acquaintance with the sister to discover more about Balcourt’s activities?"
"That," Richard said grimly, "is not an option."
Geoff eyed him quizzically. "I realise that any sister of Balcourt’s is most likely repugnant at best, but you don’t need to propose to the girl. Just flirt with her a bit. Take her for a drive, call on her at home, use her as an entrée into the house. You’ve done it before."
"Miss Balcourt is not repugnant." Richard twisted in his chair, and stared at the door. "What the devil is keeping supper?"
Geoff leant across the table. "Well, if she’s not repugnant, then-what’s the – ah."
"Ah? Ah? What the deuce do you mean by ‘ah’? Of all the nonsensical…"
"You" – Geoff pointed at him with fiendish glee – "are unsettled not because you find her repugnant, but because you find her not repugnant."
Richard was about to deliver a baleful look in lieu of a response, when he was saved by the arrival of the footman bearing a large platter of something covered with sauce. Richard leant forward and speared what looked like it might once have been part of a chicken, as the footman whisked off with his soup dish.
"Have some," Richard suggested to Geoff, ever so subtly diverting the conversation to culinary appreciation.
"Thank you." Undiverted, Geoff continued, "Tell me about your Miss Balcourt."
"Leaving aside the fact that she is by no means my Miss Balcourt" – Richard ignored the sardonic stare coming from across the table – "the girl is as complete an opposite to her brother as you can imagine. She was raised in England, somewhere out in the countryside. She’s read Homer in the original Greek—"
"This is serious," murmured Geoff. "Is she comely?"
"Comely?"
"You know, nice hair, nice eyes, nice…" Geoff made a gesture that Richard would have expected more readily from Miles.”
― Lauren Willig, quote from The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
“Still in Bed?" Thomas had asked with amusement, as Lissianna had blinked at them. "I am so glad you got at least a little rest today. I feared you'd work Greg to death while the rest of us tried to sleep.”
― Lynsay Sands, quote from A Quick Bite
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