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Though our brother is upon the rack, as long as we ourselves are at our ease, our senses will never inform us of what he suffers. They never did, and never can, carry us beyond our own person, and it is by the imagination only that we can form any conception of what are his sensations... His agonies, when they are thus brought home to ourselves, when we have thus adopted and made them our own, begin at last to affect us, and we then tremble and shudder at the thought of what he feels.

Adam Smith

The Theory of Moral Sentiments

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Topic

Empathy Man as social animal

Author

Adam Smith

Source

The Theory of Moral Sentiments

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

English

Time

1759 1750s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments. London: Andrew Millar/Edinburgh: Alexander Kincaid and J. Bell, 1759, pt. 1, sect. 1, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments, edited by Ryan Patrick Hanley. Penguin, 2010, pt. 1, sect. 1, ch. 1.

I wanna do a lotta things that don’t make sense.

Moonlight

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Topic

Confusion Emotions

Speaker

Chiron

Actor

Ashton Sanders

Source

Moonlight

Medium

Film

Genre

Coming of age (film) Drama (film) Coming of age Drama

Language

English

Time

2016 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Moonlight. Directed by Barry Jenkins, A24/Plan B Entertainment/Pastel Productions, 2016.

Any mercy and people will take advantage of you.

Letters from Iwo Jima

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Topic

Toughness

Speaker

Captain Iwasaki

Actor

Toshiya Agata

Source

Letters from Iwo Jima

Medium

Film

Genre

War (film) War

Language

Japanese

Time

2006 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Letters from Iwo Jima. Directed by Clint Eastwood, DreamWorks Pictures/Malpaso Productions/Amblin Entertainment/Warner Bros., 2006.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!

Isaiah 14:12

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Topic

The devil

Source

Isaiah The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

681 BC 680s BC 7th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Isaiah 14:12).

Mine honor is my life; both grow in one.
Take honor from me and my life is done.

William Shakespeare

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Topic

Honor

Speaker

Thomas Mowbray

Author

William Shakespeare

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1595 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Richard II. 9 Dec. 1595, The house of Edward Hoby, Westminster, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Richard the Second." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 1.

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Jesus

John 15:12

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Topic

Loving others Love

Speaker

Jesus

Source

Gospel of John The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Statement Type

Orders and commands

Language

Greek

Time

90 90s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (John 15:12).

There's a good spot tucked away somewhere in everybody. You'll be a long time finding it, sometimes.

Mark Twain

More information about this quote

Topic

Good qualities Human nature

Author

Mark Twain

Source

Refuge of the Derelicts Fables of Man

Medium

Short story

Language

English

Time

1910 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Twain, Mark. "Refuge of the Derelicts." Fables of Man. University of California Press, 1972.

Current Citation

Twain, Mark. "Refuge of the Derelicts." The Devil's Race-Track: Mark Twain's "Great Dark" Writings. University of California Press, 2005.

We've come to this planet looking for intelligent life. Oops, we made a mistake.

Mrs. Doubtfire

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Topic

Intelligent life

Speaker

Daniel Hillard

Actor

Robin Williams

Source

Mrs. Doubtfire

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy drama (film) Comedy (film) Comedy drama Comedy

Statement Type

Joke

Language

English

Time

1993 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Mrs. Doubtfire. Directed by Chris Columbus, 20th Century Fox/Blue Wolf Productions, 1993.

There is no love of life without despair of life.

Albert Camus

Love of Life

More information about this quote

Topic

Life Hopelessness and despair The human condition

Author

Albert Camus

Source

Love of Life

Medium

Essay

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

French

Time

1937 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Camus, Albert. "Love of Life." Lyrical and Critical Essays. Vintage, 1970.

O Sorrow, wilt thou live with me
No casual mistress, but a wife.

Alfred Tennyson

In Memoriam A.H.H.

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Topic

Embracing sadness Sadness

Author

Alfred Tennyson

Source

In Memoriam A.H.H.

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1850 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Tennyson, Alfred, Lord. In Memoriam A.H.H. London: Edward Moxon, 1850, pt. 59, st. 1.

Current Citation

Tennyson, Alfred, Lord. In Memoriam, edited by Erik Gray. W. W. Norton & Company, 2020, pt. 59, st. 1.

Remember, Don... When God closes a door, he opens a dress.

Roger Sterling

Mad Men

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Topic

Silver linings

Speaker

Roger Sterling

Actor

John Slattery

Source

Mad Men

Medium

TV program

Genre

Drama (TV) Drama

Language

English

Time

2007 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

"Long Weekend." Mad Men, written by Matthew Weiner and Bridget Bedard and André Jacquemetton, directed by Tim Hunter, season 1, episode 10, Lionsgate Television and American Movie Classics and Weiner Bros., 2007.

Whom one gets into bed with is no light matter.

Paul Gauguin

More information about this quote

Topic

Sex

Author

Paul Gauguin

Source

Journals of Paul Gauguin

Medium

Personal journal

Language

French

Time

20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Gauguin, Paul. Paul Gauguin's Intimate Journals, translated by Van Wyck Brooks. Indiana University Press, 1958, p. 18.

Against love's fire fear's frost hath dissolution.

William Shakespeare

The Rape of Lucrece

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Topic

Power of love Love and fear Fear Love

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Rape of Lucrece

Medium

Poem

Genre

Narrative poem

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1594 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Rape of Lucrece. London: Richard Field, 1594, I. 355.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Rape of Lucrece." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, I. 355.

There is no time like the old time, when you and I were young.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

No Time like the Old Time

More information about this quote

Topic

The good old days

Author

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Source

No Time like the Old Time The Atlantic

Medium

Magazine

Language

English

Time

1865 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Sr. "No Time like the Old Time." The Atlantic Monthly. Boston: Ticknor and Fields, Oct. 1865, st. 1.

I just keep losing. I mean some people just supposed to lose? For balance in the universe? I mean, like, are there just some people on Earth who supposed to be here just to make it easier for the winners? Like, really.

Atlanta

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Topic

Losers Winners and losers

Speaker

Earnest 'Earn' Marks

Actor

Donald Glover

Source

Atlanta

Medium

TV program

Genre

Drama (TV)

Language

English

Time

2016 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

"The Big Bang." Atlanta, written by Donald Glover, directed by Hiro Murai, season 1, episode 1, FX Productions and MGMT Entertainment, 2016.

Things in life will not always run smoothly. Sometimes we will be rising toward the heights—then all will seem to reverse itself and start downward. The great fact to remember is that the trend of civilization itself is forever upward; that a line drawn through the middle of the peaks and the valleys of the centuries always has an upward trend.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Fourth Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt

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Topic

Theory of progress Political progress Progress Political theory

Speaker

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Source

Fourth Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1945 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Roosevelt, Franklin D. "Fourth Inaugural Address." 20 Jan. 1945, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Current Citation

Roosevelt, Franklin D. "Fourth Inaugral Address: Washington, DC, January 20, 1945." Great Speeches, edited by John Grafton. Dover, 1999.

Only the little people pay taxes.

Leona Helmsley

Quoted in The New York Times

More information about this quote

Topic

Rich vs. poor Economic inequality Taxes

Speaker

Leona Helmsley

Source

The New York Times

Medium

Newspaper

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Helmsley, Leona. Quoted in "Maid Testifies Helmsley Denied Paying Taxes." Written by The Associated Press. The New York Times, 12 July 1989.

We are now forming a republican government. Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.

Read this speech at the National Archives website

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Topic

Setting up a government Democracy Safeguards of freedom Political theory

Speaker

Alexander Hamilton

Source

Debates of the Federal Convention

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1787 1780s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Hamilton, Alexander. Debates of the Federal Convention. Constitutional Convention. 26 June 1787, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

The heart is like a viper, hissing, and spitting poison at God.

Jonathan Edwards

Men Naturally God's Enemies

More information about this quote

Topic

God and man Sinfulness

Author

Jonathan Edwards

Source

Men Naturally God's Enemies

Medium

Sermon

Genre

Religious literature

Language

English

Time

1736 1730s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Edwards, Jonathan. "Men Naturally God's Enemies." Aug. 1736, United States, sect. 1.

Current Citation

Edwards, Jonathan. "Men Naturally God's Enemies." The Works of Jonathan Edwards, edited by Edward Hickman. Vol. 2, Banner of Truth, 1995, sect. 1.

Remember: it is not given to man to take his goods with him.
No one goes away and then comes back.

The Song of the Harper

More information about this quote

Topic

Can't take it with you The afterlife Death

Source

The Song of the Harper

Genre

Wisdom literature

Language

Egyptian/Hieroglypics

Time

2600 BC 2600s BC 27th century BC

Era

Egyptian Middle Kingdom

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Anonymous. Tomb of King Intef, n.d., stanza 10.

Current Citation

Anonymous. "Song of the Harper." The Literature of Ancient Egypt, edited and introduction by William Kelly Simpson, translated by Robert T. K. Ritner, William Kelly Simpson, Vincent A. Tobin and Edward F. Wente, Jr. Yale University Press, 2003, stanza 10.