quotations about fortune
It is a poor sort of fatalism which makes men fold their hands and wait for fortune.
LYMAN ABBOTT
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Old Testament Shadows of New Testament Truths
In the temple, high in place
Stood Dame Fortune, fair of face,
Holding Plutus, god of riches,
In her fond and fickle arms.
Horns of plenty at her feet
Emptied half their contents sweet,
And winged Cupid stood before her,
Fascinated by her charms.
HENRY ABBEY
"The City of Success"
What is Fortune, what is Fame?
Futile gold and phantom name--
Riches buried in a cave,
Glory written on a grave.
HENRY VAN DYKE
"The Talisman"
How much in this world is charged to chance or fortune, or veiled under a more devout name, and accorded to Providence; while, when we come to look honestly into affairs, we find it to be a debt of our own accumulation, and one which we must inevitably pay.
E. H. CHAPIN
Living Words
He is truly a happy man who can, upon all occasions, reconcile himself to his fortune.
NORMAN MACDONALD
Maxims and Moral Reflections
To be a great man one should know how to profit by every phase of fortune.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims
It is vain to complain of fortune while we fail in policy and conduct.
NORMAN MACDONALD
Maxims and Moral Reflections
Whatever difference may appear in men's fortunes, there is nevertheless a certain compensation of good and ill that makes all equal.
FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD
Moral Maxims
Fortune hath many roads.
EDWARD COUNSEL
Maxims
We make a goddess of Fortune ... and place her in the highest heaven. But it is not fortune that is exalted and powerful, but we ourselves that are abject and weak.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON
Lacon
Fortune makes many loans, but gives no presents.
PUBLILIUS SYRUS
The Moral Sayings of Publilius Syrus
A lot of my life happened in great, wonderful bursts of good fortune, and then I would race to be worthy of it.
JULIE ANDREWS
"Thoroughly Modern Julie", The Guardian, Oct. 13, 2004
Every man is the architect of his own fortunes, but the neighbors superintend the construction.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of What They Hankered For and What Was Delivered to Them", Hand-Made Fables
When Fortune frowns upon her worthy wooer, it is still permitted him to think how pleasant it will be erewhile to bask in her smiles.
CHRISTIAN NESTELL BOVEE
Intuitions and Summaries of Thought
He deserves to be fortune's favorite who can use her gifts with an even hand.
EDWARD COUNSEL
Maxims
Fortune is a finite resource, and all the hard work can fall apart at the drop of a dime if Lady Luck decides to turn the tides in someone else's favour.
ANONYMOUS
"L for Luck", World SBK, June 13, 2019
The folly of one man, is the fortune of another. For no man prospers so suddenly, as by others' errors.
FRANCIS BACON
"Of Fortune", The Essays or Counsels
Fantastic fortune thou deceitful light,
That cheats the weary traveler by night,
Though on a precipice each step you tread,
I am resolved to follow where you lead.
APHRA BEHN
The Rover
Fortune may raise up or abuse the ordinary mortal, but the sage and the soldier should have minds beyond her control.
SIR WALTER SCOTT
Tale of the Crusaders
For God's love, take things patiently, have sense,
Think! We are prisoners and shall always be.
Fortune has given us this adversity,
Some wicked planetary dispensation,
Some Saturn's trick or evil constellation
Has given us this, and Heaven, though we had sworn
The contrary, so stood when we were born.
We must endure it, that's the long and short.
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
The Canterbury Tales