Owen Feltham

Take heed of a speedy professing friend; love is never lasting which flames before it burns.

Discontent is like ink poured into water, which fills the whole fountain full of blackness.

All men will be Peters in their bragging tongue, and most men will be Peters in their base denial; but few men will be Peters in their quick repentance.

Arrogance is a weed which grows upon a dunghill; it is from the rankness of the soil that she has her height and spreadings: witness, clowns, fools, and fellows, who from nothing, are lifted up some few steps on fortune's ladder: where, seeing the glorious representment of honour above them, they are so eager to embrace it, that they strive to leap thither at once, and by over-reaching themselves in the way, they fail of the end, and fall.

Some are so uncharitable as to think all women bad, and others are so credulous as to believe they are all good. All will grant her corporeal frame more wonderful and more beautiful than man's. And can we think God would put a worse soul into a better body?

Virtue were a kind of misery if fame were all the garland that crowned her.

Virtue is the truest liberty.

Virtue dwells at the head of a river, to which we cannot get but by rowing against the stream.

Vice is a peripatetic, always in progression.

I love the man that is modestly valiant; that stirs not till he most needs, and then to purpose. A continued patience I commend not.

Time is like a ship which never anchors; while I am on board, I had better do those things that may profit me at my landing, than practice such as shall cause my commitment when I come ashore.

We pick our own sorrows out of the joys of other men, and from their sorrows likewise we derive our joys.

He who would be singular in his apparel had need have something superlative to balance that affectation.

Truth and fidelity are the pillars of the temple of the world; when these are broken, the fabric falls, and crushes all to pieces.

It is to be doubted whether he will ever find the way to heaven who desires to go thither alone.

When two friends part they should lock up one another's secrets, and interchange their keys.

Men are like wine,--not good before the lees of clownishness be settled.

There is no man but for his own interest hath an obligation to be honest. There may be sometimes temptations to be otherwise; but, all cards cast up, he shall find it the greatest ease, the highest profit, the best pleasure, the most safety, and the noblest fame, to hold the horns of this altar, which, in all assays, can in himself protect him.

Honesty is a warrant of far more safety than fame.

It is a most unhappy state to be at a distance with God: man needs no greater infelicity than to be left to himself.

The noblest part of a friend is an honest boldness in the notifying of errors. He that tells me of a fault, aiming at my good, I must think him wise and faithful--wise in spying that which I see not; faithful in a plain admonishment, not tainted with flattery.

No man can expect to find a friend without faults; nor can he propose himself to be so to another. Without reciprocal mildness and temperance there can be no continuance of friendship. Every man will have something to do for his friend, and something to bear with in him. The sober man only can do the first; and for the latter, patience is requisite. It is better for a man to depend on himself, than to be annoyed with either a madman or a fool.

He that, when he should not, spends too much, shall, when he would not, have too little to spend.

Contemplation is necessary to generate an object, but action must propagate it.

Business is the salt of life, which not only gives a grateful smack to it, but dries up those crudities that would offend, preserves from putrefaction and drives off all those blowing flies that would corrupt it.

For converse among men, beautiful persons have less need of the mind's commending qualities. Beauty in itself is such a silent orator, that it is ever pleading for respect and liking, and by the eyes of others is ever sending, to their hearts for love.

Riches, though they may reward virtues, yet they cannot cause them; he is much more noble who deserves a benefit than he who bestows one.

It is rare to see a rich man religious; for religion preaches restraint, and riches prompt to unlicensed freedom.

It is much safer to reconcile an enemy than to conquer him; victory may deprive him of his poison, but reconciliation of his will.

Pleasures can undo a man at any time, if yielded to.