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Man with all his noble qualities, with sympathy which feels for the most debased, with benevolence which extends not only to other men but to the humblest living creature, with his god-like intellect which has penetrated into the movements and constitution of the solar system—with all these exalted powers—Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Human origins Human nature Human evolution Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 3, ch. 21.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 3, ch. 21.

Remember that Time is Money.

Benjamin Franklin

The American Instructor: or Young Man's Best Companion

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Topic

Time is money Capitalism Efficiency

Author

Benjamin Franklin

Source

Advice to a Young Tradesman The American Instructor: or Young Man's Best Companion

Medium

Essay

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

English

Time

1748 1740s 18th century

Era

Colonial America

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Advice to a Young Tradesman." The American Instructor: or Young Man's Best Companion. Philadelphia: George Fisher, 1748.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Advice to a Young Tradesman." Benjamin Franklin: Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body and Early Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

An invasion of armies can be resisted; an invasion of ideas cannot be resisted.

Victor Hugo

Read History of a Crime at Project Gutenberg

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Topic

Power of ideas

Author

Victor Hugo

Source

The History of a Crime

Language

French

Time

1878 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Hugo, Victor. Histoire d'un crime [The History of a Crime]. Paris: Calmann-Levy, c. 1878, conclusion, ch. 10.

Rebellion to Tyrants is obedience to God.

Benjamin Franklin

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Topic

Rebellion Tyrants

Author

Benjamin Franklin

Source

Bradshaw's Epitaph

Medium

Epitaph

Language

English

Time

1775 1770s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin, [published anonymously]. "Bradshaw's Epitaph." Pennsylvania Evening Post. Philadelphia, 14 Dec. 1775.

Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Bradshaw's Epitaph." Benjamin Franklin: Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body and Early Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus... Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Francis Pharcellus Church

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Topic

Santa Claus

Author

Francis Pharcellus Church

Source

New York Sun

Medium

Newspaper

Language

English

Time

1897 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Church, Francis. "Is There a Santa Claus?" The New York Sun, 21 Sept. 1897.

Current Citation

Church, Francis. Quoted in The Christmas Chronicles, written by Jeff Guinn. Penguin, 2008.

Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated.

Sun Tzu

The Art of War

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Topic

Self-knowledge Enemies

Author

Sun Tzu

Source

The Art of War

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Military treatise

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Chinese

Time

475 BC 470s BC 5th century BC

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Sun Tzu. 孫子兵法 [The Art of War]. c. 475 BC, ch. 3.

Current Citation

Sun Tzu. The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life, translated by John Minford. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 3.

Hope is a waking dream.

Aristotle

Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laërtius

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Topic

Hope

Speaker

Aristotle

Author

Diogenes Laërtius

Source

The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

400 400s 3rd century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Quoted in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laertius. c. 240 AD, bk. 5, ch. 1, sect. 18.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Quoted in The Lives of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius, translated by Pamela Mensch, edited by James Miller. Oxford University Press, 2018, bk. 5, ch. 1, sect. 18.

For the one thing even God cannot do is change the past.

Agathon

Quoted in The Nicomachean Ethics, by Aristotle

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Topic

God's power God Changing the past The past

Speaker

Agathon

Author

Aristotle

Source

The Nicomachean Ethics

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Agathon. Quoted in Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια, Ēthika Nikomacheia [Nicomachean Ethics], written by Aristotle. c. 350 BC, bk. 6.

Current Citation

Agathon. Quoted in Nicomachean Ethics, written by Aristotle, translated by Terence Irwin. Hackett Publishing Company, 2019, bk. 6, ch. 2.

One swallow does not make a spring.

Aristotle

The Nicomachean Ethics

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Topic

Jumping to conclusions Trends Patterns

Author

Aristotle

Source

The Nicomachean Ethics

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Greek

Time

322 BC 320s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια, Ēthika Nikomacheia [Nicomachean Ethics]. c. 322 BC.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics, translated by Terence Irwin. Hackett Publishing, 2019, bk. 1.

Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Crime and Punishment

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Topic

Resistance to change New ideas

Speaker

Raskolnikov

Author

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Source

Crime and Punishment

Medium

Novel

Language

Russian

Time

1866 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Dostoyevsky, Feodor. Преступленіе и наказаніе [Crime and Punishment]. The Russian Messenger, Jan. 1866 - Dec. 1866, monthly serial.

Current Citation

Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment, translated and edited by Michael R. Katz. W. W. Norton & Company, 2018.

For what should a man live, if not for the pleasures of discourse?

Plato

Phaedrus

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Topic

Good conversation Purpose of life

Speaker

Phaedrus

Author

Plato

Source

Phaedrus

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Question

Language

Greek

Time

370 BC 370s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Φαῖδρος [Phaedrus], written by Plato. c. 370 BC, section 258e.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in "Phaedrus." Plato: Lysis; Symposium; Phaedrus, written by Plato, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2022, sect. 258e.

I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.

Walt Whitman

Song of Myself

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Topic

Grass Stars Big vs. small

Author

Walt Whitman

Source

Song of Myself Leaves of Grass

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1855 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Brooklyn, New York: Self-published, 1855, poem 1.

Current Citation

Whitman, Walt. "Song of Myself." Leaves of Grass and Other Writings. W. W. Norton & Company, 2002, sect. 31.

The basis of a democratic state is liberty.

Aristotle

Politics

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Topic

Freedom and democracy Democratic legitimacy Democracy Freedom

Author

Aristotle

Source

Politics

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aristotle. Politics. 4th century BC, bk. 6.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Politics, translated by R. F. Stalley and Sir Ernest Barker. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 6.

No tyrant need fear till men begin to feel confident in each other.

Aristotle

Politics

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Topic

Seeds of revolution Revolution Tyranny Political theory Politics

Author

Aristotle

Source

Politics

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aristotle. Politics. 4th century BC, bk. 5.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Politics, translated by R. F. Stalley and Sir Ernest Barker. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 5.

I celebrate myself, and sing myself.

Walt Whitman

Song of Myself

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Topic

Loving oneself Self-expression

Author

Walt Whitman

Source

Song of Myself Leaves of Grass

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1855 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Brooklyn, New York: Self-published, 1855, poem 1.

Current Citation

Whitman, Walt. "Song of Myself." Leaves of Grass and Other Writings. W. W. Norton & Company, 2002, sect. 1, I. 1.

One soul dwelling in two bodies.

Aristotle

Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laërtius

On the nature of friendship.

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Topic

Friends Friendship

Speaker

Aristotle

Author

Diogenes Laërtius

Source

The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

Genre

Biography Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

3rd century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Quoted in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laertius. c. 240 AD, bk. 5, ch. 1, sect. 20.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Quoted in The Lives of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius, translated by Pamela Mensch, edited by James Miller. Oxford University Press, 2018, bk. 5, ch. 1, sect. 20.

Please, sir, I want some more.

Charles Dickens

Oliver Twist

More information about this quote

Topic

Soup Poverty Charity

Speaker

Oliver Twist

Author

Charles Dickens

Source

Oliver Twist

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1837 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Dickens, Charles. "Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress." Bentley's Miscellany. London: Richard Bentley, Feb. 1837, issue 1, ch. 2.

Current Citation

Dickens, Charles. Oliver Twist. Penguin, 2003, ch. 2.

I wear the chain I forged in life.

Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol

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Topic

Consequences of greed Actions have consequences Hell

Speaker

Jacob Marley

Author

Charles Dickens

Source

A Christmas Carol

Medium

Novella

Language

English

Time

1843 1840s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843, stave 1.

Current Citation

Dickens, Charles. "A Christmas Carol." A Christmas Carol and Other Writings, edited by Michael Slater. Penguin, 2003, stave 1.

What does not destroy me, makes me stronger.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Twilight of the Idols

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Topic

Resilience Overcoming adversity Adversity Character

Author

Friedrich Nietzsche

Source

Twilight of the Idols

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

German

Time

1889 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Götzen-Dämmerung, oder, Wie man mit dem Hammer philosophiert [Twilight of the Idols, or, How to Philosophize with a Hammer]. 1889.

Current Citation

Nietzsche, Frederick. Twilight of the Idols and the Anti-Christ: or How to Philosophize with a Hammer, translated by Walter Kaufman and R. J. Hollingdale. Penguin Classics, 1990.

Cui bono?

Cicero

Pro Milone

More information about this quote

Topic

Incentives

Speaker

Cicero

Source

Pro Milone

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Statement Type

Question

Language

Latin

Time

52 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Milone [In Defense of Milo]. c. 52 BC, sect. 32.

Current Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Milone [For Milo], translated by D. H. Berry. Oxford University Press, 2009, sect. 32.