Book Summaries
Be Virtuous (The Art of Wordly Wisdom)
> The Secret of Long Life Lead a good life. Two things bring life speedily to an end: folly and immorality. Some lose their life because they have not the intelligence to keep it, others because they have not the will. Just as virtue is its own reward, so is vice its own punishment.
The Secret of Long Life Lead a good life. Two things bring life speedily to an end: folly and immorality. Some lose their life because they have not the intelligence to keep it, others because they have not the will. Just as virtue is its own reward, so is vice its own punishment. He who lives a fast life runs through life in a double sense. A virtuous life never dies. The firmness of the soul is communicated to the body, and a good life is long not only in intention but also in extension.
A Man without Illusions, a wise Christian, a philosophic Courtier. Be all these, not merely seem to be them, still less affect to be them. Philosophy is nowadays discredited, but yet it was always the chiefest concern of the wise. The art of thinking has lost all its former repute.Seneca introduced it at Rome: it went to court for some time, but now it is considered out ofplace there. And yet the discovery of deceit was always thought the true nourishment of athoughtful mind, the true delight of a virtuous soul.
Do not be Inaccessible. None is so perfect that he does not need at times the advice ofothers. He is an in-corrigible ass who will never listen to any one. Even the most surpassingintellect should find a place for friendly counsel. Sovereignty itself must learn to lean. There aresome that are incorrigible simply because they are: they fall to ruin because none dares toextricate them. The highest should have the door open for friendship; it may prove the gate ofhelp. A friend must be free to advise, and even to upbraid, without feeling embarrassed. Oursatisfaction in him and our trust in his steadfast faith give him that power. One need not payrespect or give credit to every one, but in the innermost of his precaution man has a truemirror of a confidant to whom he owes the correction of his errors, and has to thank for it.
Be Trustworthy. Honourable dealing is at an end: trusts are denied: few keep their word: thegreater the service, the poorer the reward: that is the way with all the world nowadays. There arewhole nations inclined to false dealing: with some treachery has always to be feared, with othersbreach of promise, with others deceit. Yet this bad behaviour of others should rather be awarning to us than an example. The fear is that the sight of such unworthy behaviour shouldoverride our integrity. But a man of honour should never forget what he is because he seeswhat others are.
In one word, be a Saint. So is all said at once. Virtue is the link of all perfections, the centre ofall the felicities. She it is that makes a man prudent, discreet, sagacious, cautious, wise, courageous, thoughtful, trustworthy, happy, honoured, truthful, and a universal Hero. Three HHH’s make a man happy–Health, Holiness, and a Headpiece. Virtue is the sun of the microcosm, and has for emisphere a good conscience. She is so beautiful that she finds favour with both God and man. Nothing is lovable but virtue, nothing detestable but vice. Virtue alone is serious, all else is but jest. A man’s capacity and greatness are to be measured by his virtue and not by his fortune. She alone is allsufficient. She makes men lovable in life, memorable after death
YARPP List
Related posts:
- Perfect Timing (The Art of Wordly Wisdom)
- Part 2: Master the Art of Insinuation (The Art of Seduction)
- Part 2: Master the Art of the Bold Move (The Art of Seduction)
- The Art of Living Summary (7/10)
Keep Reading
Related Articles
Book Summaries
Originals Summary (7/10)
In “Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World”, Adam Grant tackles the question of what drives people to be creative. To find answers, Grant looks at a variety of fields, from business to sports to government, and unveils the strategies that underlie groundbreaking ideas.
Book Summaries
Hans Halvorson (What to think about machines that think)
Hans Halvorson explores the notion of thinking in the context of computers and humans, emphasizing that thinking machines can process information but lack the capacity for metathought, the ability to think about their own thinking. Key points from his perspective include: 1.
Book Summaries
Chapter 5: The Peacock’s Tale (The Red Queen)
Every female animal wants a mate with sufficient genetic quality to make a good husband and good father. Every male animal wants as many wives as possible, and to sometimes find good mothers and dams – rarely to find good wives.
Book Summaries
Ch.1: Unspeakable Richness (Cobalt Red)
“[Cobalt Red](https://amzn.to/3wHAHf2)” shines a light on how important cobalt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo is for our gadgets and electric cars. It talks about the journey of batteries from their start in the 1970s to powering today’s tech world.