574 Quotes by George Santayana

As man is now constituted, to be brief is almost a condition of being inspired

A man's feet should be planted in his country, but his eyes should survey the world.

... even if Lucretius was wrong, and the soul is immortal, it is nevertheless steadily changing its interests and its possessions.Our lives are mortal if our soul is not; and the sentiment which reconciled Lucretius to death is as much needed if we are to face many deaths, as if we are to face only one.

There is nothing to which men, while they have food and drink, cannot reconcile themselves.

Civilization is perhaps approaching one of those long winters that overtake it from time to time. Romantic Christendom - picturesque, passionate, unhappy episode - may be coming to an end. Such a catastrophe would be no reason for despair.

The young man who has not wept is a savage, and the old man who will not laugh is a fool

Work and love these are the basics; waking life is a dream controlled.

Repetition is the only form of permanence that Nature can achieve.

Religion in its humility restores man to his only dignity, the courage to live by grace.