Pleasure Quotes | Beyond Motive

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Pleasure Quotes

"The pleasure that is in sorrow is sweeter than the pleasure of pleasure itself."

"The pleasure that is in sorrow is sweeter than the pleasure of pleasure itself."

Percy Bysshe Shelley, English Poet

Pleasure, Sorrow

113

"It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver."

"It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver."

Niccolo Machiavelli, Italian Writer

75

"Speed provides the one genuinely modern pleasure."

"Speed provides the one genuinely modern pleasure."

Aldous Huxley, English Novelist

73

"The greatest pleasures are only narrowly separated from disgust."

"The greatest pleasures are only narrowly separated from disgust."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Pleasure, Disgust

72

"I just don't want anyone messing around with my pure smoking pleasure."

"I just don't want anyone messing around with my pure smoking pleasure."

Max Cannon, American Artist

Pleasure, Smoking, Want

68

"A woman is an occasional pleasure but a cigar is always a smoke."

"A woman is an occasional pleasure but a cigar is always a smoke."

Groucho Marx, American Comedian

Pleasure, Woman

68

"Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable."

"Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable."

Jane Austen, British Writer

Pleasure, Surprises

67

"I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary notices I have read with pleasure."

"I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary notices I have read with pleasure."

Clarence Darrow, American Lawyer

61

"There is pleasure when a sore is scratched, But to be without sores is more pleasurable still. Just so, there are pleasures in worldly desires, But to be without desires is more pleasurable still."

"There is pleasure when a sore is scratched, But to be without sores is more pleasurable still. Just so, there are pleasures in worldly desires, But to be without desires is more pleasurable still."

Nagarjuna, Indian Philosopher

59

"This self-love is the instrument of our preservation; it resembles the provision for the perpetuity of mankind: it is necessary, it is dear to us, it gives us pleasure, and we must conceal it."

"This self-love is the instrument of our preservation; it resembles the provision for the perpetuity of mankind: it is necessary, it is dear to us, it gives us pleasure, and we must conceal it."

Voltaire, French Writer

59

"Fast cars are my only vice."

"Fast cars are my only vice."

Michael Bay, American Director

58

"Draw your pleasure, paint your pleasure, and express your pleasure strongly."

"Draw your pleasure, paint your pleasure, and express your pleasure strongly."

Pierre Bonnard, French Artist

57

"To a man of pleasure every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not of the vivacity of amusement."

"To a man of pleasure every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not of the vivacity of amusement."

Joseph Addison, English Writer

Pleasure, Amusement, Man

57

"Show me another pleasure like dinner which comes every day and lasts an hour."

"Show me another pleasure like dinner which comes every day and lasts an hour."

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, French Diplomat

57

"Perhaps all pleasure is only relief."

"Perhaps all pleasure is only relief."

William S. Burroughs, American Writer

55

"The pleasure that I take in writing gets me interested in writing a poem. It's not a statement about what I think anybody else should be doing. For me, it's an interesting tension between interior and exterior."

"The pleasure that I take in writing gets me interested in writing a poem. It's not a statement about what I think anybody else should be doing. For me, it's an interesting tension between interior and exterior."

Marilyn Hacker, American Poet

Pleasure, Tension, Writing

53

"The essence of pleasure is spontaneity."

"The essence of pleasure is spontaneity."

Germaine Greer, Australian Activist

Pleasure, Spontaneity

53

"Some loves are like a vice that has ceased to give pleasure."

"Some loves are like a vice that has ceased to give pleasure."

Mason Cooley, American Writer

53

"The real pleasure in writing this, for me, was discovering how little you need."

"The real pleasure in writing this, for me, was discovering how little you need."

Jonathan Franzen, American Novelist

Pleasure, Writing

53

"Writing is self-pleasure."

"Writing is self-pleasure."

Bangambiki Habyarimana, Rwandan Author

Pleasure, Writing, Self, Expression

53

"Variety of mere nothings gives more pleasure than uniformity of something."

"Variety of mere nothings gives more pleasure than uniformity of something."

Jean Paul, German Author

Pleasure, Variety

52

"Do you know the only thing that gives me pleasure? It's to see my dividends coming in."

"Do you know the only thing that gives me pleasure? It's to see my dividends coming in."

John D. Rockefeller, American Businessman

52

"But I don't read or listen for pleasure. I have too much else to do."

"But I don't read or listen for pleasure. I have too much else to do."

Piers Anthony, English Writer

51

"Everything I do is for the pleasure of Allah."

"Everything I do is for the pleasure of Allah."

Cat Stevens, British Musician

51

"No verse can give pleasure for long, nor last, that is written by drinkers of water."

"No verse can give pleasure for long, nor last, that is written by drinkers of water."

Horace, Roman Poet

Pleasure, Water

51

"The greatest pleasure of reading consists in re-reading."

"The greatest pleasure of reading consists in re-reading."

Vernon Lee, British Author

Pleasure, Reading

50

"Pleasure is none, if not diversified."

"Pleasure is none, if not diversified."

John Donne, British Poet

50

"It is twice the pleasure to deceive the deceiver."

"It is twice the pleasure to deceive the deceiver."

Jean de La Fontaine, French Poet

50

"When I'm writing a song, it gives me more actual pleasure to hear someone else sing it than do it meself."

"When I'm writing a song, it gives me more actual pleasure to hear someone else sing it than do it meself."

Shane MacGowan, Irish Musician

Pleasure, Song, Writing

48

"The person whose doors I enter with most pleasure, and quit with most regret, never did me the smallest favor."

"The person whose doors I enter with most pleasure, and quit with most regret, never did me the smallest favor."

William Hazlitt, English Critic

Pleasure, Regret

48

"How delicious is pleasure after torment!"

"How delicious is pleasure after torment!"

Pierre Corneille, French Dramatist

48

"I find pleasure in things that are simple."

"I find pleasure in things that are simple."

Stephan Jenkins, American Musician

47

"Ease up, the play is over."

"Ease up, the play is over."

Horace Greeley, American Editor

47

"Sex: the pleasure is momentary, the position ridiculous, and the expense damnable."

"Sex: the pleasure is momentary, the position ridiculous, and the expense damnable."

Lord Chesterfield, British Statesman

47

"My pleasure was to copy, not to create."

"My pleasure was to copy, not to create."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

47

"Child! Do not throw this book about; refrain from the unholy pleasure of cutting all the pictures out."

"Child! Do not throw this book about; refrain from the unholy pleasure of cutting all the pictures out."

Hilaire Belloc, English Poet

46

"I don't believe for one moment you can write well what you wouldn't read for pleasure."

"I don't believe for one moment you can write well what you wouldn't read for pleasure."

Nora Roberts, American Author

46

"What leads to unhappiness, is making pleasure the chief aim."

"What leads to unhappiness, is making pleasure the chief aim."

William Shenstone, English Poet

Pleasure, Unhappiness

46

"Give them pleasure - the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare."

"Give them pleasure - the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare."

Alfred Hitchcock, English Director

45

"Sorry, but there is no pleasure in finding new ways of saying the same stuff about projects which tanked."

"Sorry, but there is no pleasure in finding new ways of saying the same stuff about projects which tanked."

Alex Cox, British Director

Pleasure, Projects, Saying

45

"Who ever said that pleasure wasn't functional?"

"Who ever said that pleasure wasn't functional?"

Charles Eames, American Designer

44

"During my first few weeks in Italy, all my Protestant synapses were zinging in distress, looking for a task. I wanted to take on pleasure like a homework assignment, or a giant science fair project."

"During my first few weeks in Italy, all my Protestant synapses were zinging in distress, looking for a task. I wanted to take on pleasure like a homework assignment, or a giant science fair project."

Elizabeth Gilbert, American Novelist

Pleasure, Guilt, Culture, Joy

44

"Pleasure is often spoiled by describing it."

"Pleasure is often spoiled by describing it."

Stendhal, French Writer

44

"I've got to be honest, there's no pleasure when you're working."

"I've got to be honest, there's no pleasure when you're working."

Dana Plato, American Actress

43

"I took pleasure when I could. I acted clearly and morally and without regret. I'm very lucky."

"I took pleasure when I could. I acted clearly and morally and without regret. I'm very lucky."

Jeanne Calment, French Celebrity

Pleasure, Regret

43

"I confess that reading proofs is a pleasure. It stimulates and inspires me."

"I confess that reading proofs is a pleasure. It stimulates and inspires me."

Zane Grey, American Author

Pleasure, Reading

42

"Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains."

"Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains."

Democritus, Greek Philosopher

Pleasure, Moderation

41

"It might seem unfair to reward a person for having so much pleasure over the years, asking the maize plant to solve specific problems and then watching its responses."

"It might seem unfair to reward a person for having so much pleasure over the years, asking the maize plant to solve specific problems and then watching its responses."

Barbara McClintock, American Scientist

Pleasure, Problems, Reward, Years

41

"It is a double pleasure to deceive the deceiver."

"It is a double pleasure to deceive the deceiver."

Jean de La Fontaine, French Poet

40

"I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading, as I had in the writing."

"I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading, as I had in the writing."

Francis Quarles, English Poet

Pleasure, Reading, Writing

39

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