Desire Quotes

Desires are the pulses of the soul; as physicians judge by the appetite, so may you by desires.

Manton.

The thirst of desire is never filled, not fully satisfied.

Cicero.

It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.

Rochefoucauld.

The reason that so many want their desires is that their desires want reason. He may do what he will, who will do but what he may.

Warwick.

Everyone would have something, such perhaps as we are ashamed to utter. The proud man would have honor; the covetous man, wealth and abundance; the malicious, revenge on his enemies; the epicure, pleasure and long life; the barren, children; the wanton, beauty; each would be humored in his own desire, though in opposition both to God’s will, and his own good.

Bp. Hall.

Some desire is necessary to keep life in motion; he whose real wants are supplied, must admit those of fancy.

Johnson.

Those things that are not practicable are not desirable. There is nothing in the world really beneficial that does not lie within the reach of an informed understanding and a well protected pursuit. There is nothing that God has judged good for us that he has not given us the means to accomplish, both in the natural and the moral world. If we cry, like children, for the moon, like children we must cry on.

Burke.

Where necessity ends; desire and curiosity begin; no sooner are we supplied with everything nature can demand, than we sit down to contrive artificial appetited.

Johnson.

The stoical schemes of supplying our wants by lopping off our desires, is like cutting off our feet when we want shoes.

Swift.

A wise man will desire no more than he may get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly.

The passions and desires, like the two twists of a rope, mutually mix one with the other, and twine inextricably round the heart; producing good, if moderately indulged; but certain destruction. If suffered to become inordinate.

Burton.

By annihilating the desires, you annihilate the mind. Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act.

Helvetius.

Every desire bears its death in its very gratification. Curiosity languishes under repeated stimulants, and novelties cease to excite surprise, until at length we do no wonder even at a miracle.

Wahsington Irving.

We trifle when we assign limits to our desires, since nature hath set none.

Bovee.

Inordinate desires commonly produce irregular endeavors. If our wishes be not kept in submission to God’s providence, our pursuits will scarcely be kept under the restraints of his precepts.

M. Henry.

Our nature is inseparable from desires and the very word desire the craving for something not processed implies that our present felicity is not complete.

Hobbes.

However rich or elevated we may be, a nameless something is always wanting to our imperfect fortune.

Horace.

Unlawful desires are punished after the effect of enjoying; but impossible desires are punished in the desire itself.

Sir P.Sidney.

Before we passionately desire anything which another enjoys, we should examine as to the happiness of its possessor.

Rochefoucauld.

He who can wait for what he desires takes the course not to be exceedingly grieved if he fails of it; he one the contrary who labors after a things too impatiently thinks the success when it comes is not a recompense equal to all the pains he has been at about it.

Bruyere.