Vain Quotes

986 Vain quotes by 692 unique authors

It is vain for you to expect, it is impudent for you to ask of God forgiveness on your own behalf, if you refuse to… — Unknown Author
It is vain to ask of the gods what man is capable of supplying for himself. — Epicurus
As historians, we refuse to allow ourselves these vain speculations which turn on possibilities that, in order to be reduced to actuality, suppose an overturning… — Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Kindness is the evidence of greatness. If anyone is glad that you are here, then you have not lived in vain. — Charles Fenno Hoffman
We are not to suppose, that there is any violent exertion of power, such as is required in order to produce a great event in… — James Hutton
In the final, the positive, state, the mind has given over the vain search after absolute notions, the origin and destination of the universe, and… — Auguste Comte
Whoever, in the pursuit of science, seeks after immediate practical utility, may generally rest assured that he will seek in vain. — Hermann von Helmholtz
The alchemists of past centuries tried hard to make the elixir of life: ... Those efforts were in vain; it is not in our power… — Unknown Author
But since the brain, as well as the cerebellum, is composed of many parts, variously figured, it is possible, that nature, which never works in… — Unknown Author
Science gains from it [the pendulum] more than one can expect. With its huge dimensions, the apparatus presents qualities that one would try in vain… — Leon Foucault
A battle that you win cancels any other bad action of yours. In the same way, by losing one, all the good things worked by… — Niccolo Machiavelli
But Mousie, thou art no thy lane In proving foresight may be vain The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley An' lea'e… — Robert Burns
And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. For if truth be… — David Hume
A person may be greedy, envious, cowardly, cold, ungenerous, unkind, vain, or conceited, but behave perfectly by a monumental act of the will. — Thomas Nagel
God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another, I… — John Henry Newman
May I not seem to have lived in vain. — Tycho Brahe
Odor of blood when Christ was slain Made all Platonic tolerance vain And vain all Doric discipline. — William Butler Yeats
Unless man is committed to the belief that all mankind are his brothers, then he labors in vain and hypocritically in the vineyards of equality. — Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
I am astonished about those people who are ordered to prepare their provisions, then the start of the journey is announced, however they remain unmindful… — Hasan of Basra
If I can, by a lucky chance, in these uneasy days, rub out one wrinkle from the brow of care, or beguile the heavy heart… — Washington Irving

Who Wrote These Vain Quotes

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