Saul Bellow Quotes

I think we could all do better sometimes of not overextending ourselves as much.

You have to know when to stop - that's wisdom.

There is always a limit to self-indulgence, but none to self-restraint.

While expressing your desires, you would need to exercise control in order to prevent them from doing harm to you or to others.

There's a fine line between giving the sense of freedom and being too free.

You must confine yourself within the modest limits of order.

Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.

Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide.

We say no to lots of things that would please us. I would like to punch people every now and then, but I don't. I would like to have something for free rather than pay for it. I would like to skip to the front of the line... I don't mean to brush aside the taste of meat, which is a powerful attraction. But its power is not without limit.

When sages commend excess, Desire is sick.

As far as pleasures, you've got to have limits. You shouldn't have too much of good things, so you'll always have a desire for more and you won't get bored.

I need to rein myself in sometimes.

Temperance is a mean with regard to pleasures.

You can only bite off so much, so you gotta know what you want to do.

Everything in moderation.

I like restraint, if it doesn't go too far.

A prince must, above all things, accustom himself to moderate his desires. For as he has the power of gratifying them, if he once gives way to them, he will run to the greatest excess, and, by destroying his subjects, will at last complete his own ruin. In order to form himself to this moderation, nothing is more proper, than to accustom himself to patience. This is the most necessary of all virtues for those, who are to command. A man must be patient to become master of himself and others.

Moderation in all things..

I do everything in moderation.

You can't ever get too high or too low.

Just because you can do something, it doesn't mean you need to - restraint is something I admire.

Moderation in all things. And even moderation in moderation. Don't get too much moderation, you know?

Patience is of two kinds: patience over what pains you, and patience against what you covet.

Blot out vain pomp; check impulse; quench appetite; keep reason under its own control.

Middle age is when you're faced with two temptations and you choose the one that will get you home by nine o'clock.