API tools faq
paste
Guest User

The Art of Worldly Wisdom by Balthasar Gracian

a guest
May 26th, 2012
222
0
Never
Add comment
Not a member of Pastebin yet? Sign Up, it unlocks many cool features!
text 5.03 KB | None | 0 0
raw download clone embed print report
  1. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2. The Art of Worldly Wisdom, by Balthasar Gracian
  3. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  4. http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/aww/aww11.htm
  5.  
  6. C=100 L=50 X=10 I=1
  7.  
  8. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  9. LIST OF FILENAMES AND ACTUAL QUOTES (match only at first one I=1)
  10. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11.  
  12. ROK i.docx 1=1
  13. i Everything is at its Acme;
  14.  
  15. especially the art of making one's way in the world. There is more required nowadays to make a single wise man than formerly to make Seven Sages, and more is needed nowadays to deal with a single person than was required with a whole people in former times.
  16.  
  17. MI x.rtf 10=21
  18. xxi The Art of being Lucky.
  19.  
  20. There are rules of luck: it is not all chance with the wise: it can be assisted by care. Some content themselves with placing them-selves confidently at the gate of Fortune, waiting till she opens it. Others do better, and press forward and profit by their clever boldness, reaching the goddess and winning her favour on the wings of their virtue and valour. But on a true philosophy there is no other umpire than virtue and insight; for there is no luck or ill-luck except wisdom and the reverse.
  21.  
  22.  
  23.  
  24. TX lxxvii.docx 77=58
  25. lviii Adapt Yourself to your Company.
  26.  
  27. There is no need to show your ability before every one. Employ no more force than is necessary. Let there be no unnecessary expenditure either of knowledge or of power. The skilful falconer only flies enough birds to serve for the chase. If there is too much display to-day there will be nothing to show to-morrow. Always have some novelty wherewith to dazzle. To show something fresh each day keeps expectation alive and conceals the limits of capacity.
  28.  
  29. DE lxxii.docx 72=71
  30. lxxi Do not Vacillate.
  31.  
  32. Let not your actions be abnormal either from disposition or affectation. An able man is always the same in his best qualities; he gets the credit of trustworthiness. If he changes, he does so for good reason or good consideration. In matters of conduct change is hateful. There are some who are different every day; their intelligence varies, still more their will, and with this their fortune. Yesterday's white is to-day's black: to-day's No was yesterday's Yes. They always give the lie to their own credit and destroy their credit with others.
  33.  
  34.  
  35. ON cxxx.docx 130=99
  36. xcix Reality and Appearance.
  37.  
  38. Things pass for what they seem, not for what they are. Few see inside; many take to the outside. It is not enough to be right, if right seem false and ill.
  39.  
  40. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  41. LIST OF MISSING QUOTES (as they should be if they were same as filenames)
  42. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  43.  
  44. 10. x Fortune and Fame.
  45.  
  46. Where the one is fickle the other is enduring. The first for life, the second afterwards; the one against envy, the other against oblivion. Fortune is desired, at times assisted: fame is earned. The desire for fame springs from man's best part. It was and is the sister of the giants; it always goes to extremes—horrible monsters or brilliant prodigies.
  47.  
  48.  
  49.  
  50. 77. lxxvii Be all Things to all Men
  51.  
  52. —a discreet Proteus, learned with the learned, saintly with the sainted. It is the great art to gain every one's suffrages; their goodwill gains general agreement. Notice men's moods and adapt yourself to each, genial or serious as the case may be. Follow their lead, glossing over the changes as cunningly as possible. This is an indispensable art for dependent persons. But this savoir faire calls for great cleverness. He only will find no difficulty who has a universal genius in his knowledge and universal ingenuity in his wit.
  53.  
  54.  
  55. 72. lxxii Be Resolute.
  56.  
  57. Bad execution of your designs does less harm than irresolution in forming them. Streams do less harm flowing than when dammed up. There are some men so infirm of purpose that they always require direction from others, and this not on account of any perplexity, for they judge clearly, but from sheer incapacity for action. It needs some skill to find out difficulties, but more to find a way out of them. There are others who are never in straits . their clear judgment and determined character
  58.  
  59. 130. cxxx Do and be seen Doing.
  60.  
  61. Things do not pass for what they are but for what they seem. To be of use and to know how to show yourself of use, is to be twice as useful. What is not seen is as if it was not. Even the Right does not receive proper consideration if it does not seem right. The observant are far fewer in number than those who are deceived by appearances. Deceit rules the roast, and things are judged by their jackets, and many things are other than they seem. A good exterior is the best recommendation of the inner perfection.
Advertisement
Add Comment
Please, Sign In to add comment
Public Pastes
We use cookies for various purposes including analytics. By continuing to use Pastebin, you agree to our use of cookies as described in the Cookies Policy.  OK, I Understand
Not a member of Pastebin yet?
Sign Up, it unlocks many cool features!