Human science is uncertain guess. [ Prior ]
O, how this spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day! [ William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act I. Sc. 3 ]
Uncertain ways unsafest are.
And doubt a greater mischief than despair. [ Sir John Denham ]
Oh, how this spring of life resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day.
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And, by and by, a cloud takes all away! [ William Shakespeare ]
There is nothing certain but the uncertain. [ French ]
Many books,
Wise men have said, are wearisome; who reads
Incessantly, and to his reading brings not
A spirit and judgment equal or superior,
Uncertain and unsettled still remains -
Deep versed in books, and shallow in himself. [ Milton ]
Children are certain cares, but uncertain comforts. [ Proverb ]
All between the cradle and the coffin is uncertain. [ Proverb ]
As hope and fear alternate chase Our course through life's uncertain race. [ Scott ]
Uncertain whose the narrowest span, - the clown unread, or half-read gentleman. [ Dryden ]
What is the end of fame? It is but to fill a certain portion of uncertain paper. [ Byron ]
It is uncertain at what place death awaits thee. Wait thou for it at every place. [ Seneca ]
The tenure of a literary reputation is the most uncertain and fluctuating of all. [ Charles Dudley Warner ]
It is a shame for the tongue to cast itself upon the uncertain pardon of other's ears. [ Bishop Hall ]
Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experiment uncertain, and judgment difficult. [ Hippocrates ]
The subtle sauce of malice is often indulged in by maidens of uncertain age, over their tea. [ Rivarol ]
The friendship of some men is like the love of some women; it is variable and capricious, inconstant and uncertain, hard to win, and when won, not worth having. [ Acton ]
Reputation is in itself only a farthing-candle, of wavering and uncertain flame, and easily blown out, but it is the light by which the world looks for and finds merit. [ Lowell ]
Nothing so uncertain as general reputation. A man injures me from humor, passion, or interest; hates me because he has injured me; and speaks ill of me because he hates me. [ Henry Home ]
What is certain in death is somewhat softened by what is uncertain; it is an indefiniteness in the time which holds a certain relation to the infinite, and what is called eternity. [ La Bruyere ]
A man's longest purposes will be his best purposes. It is true, life is short and uncertain; but it is better to live on the short arc of a large circle than to describe the whole circumference of a small circle. [ Charles H. Parkhurst ]
The one thing that marks the true artist is a clear perception and a firm, bold hand, in distinction from that imperfect mental vision and uncertain touch which give us the feeble pictures and the lumpy statues of the mere artisans on canvas or in stone. [ O. W. Holmes ]
When Anaxagoras was told of the death of his son, he only said, I knew he was mortal.
So we in all casualties of life should say I knew my riches were uncertain, that my friend was but a man.
Such considerations would soon pacify us, because all our troubles proceed from their being unexpected. [ Plutarch ]
It unfortunately happens that no man believes that he is likely to die soon. So every one is much disposed to defer the consideration of what ought to be done on the supposition of such an emergency; and while nothing is so uncertain as human life, so nothing is so certain as our assurance that we shall survive most of our neighbors. [ Aughey ]
There is a story of some mountains of salt in Cumana, which never diminished, though carried away in much abundance by merchants; but when once they were monopolized to the benefit of a private purse, then the salt decreased, till afterward all were allowed to take of it, when it had a new access and increase. The truth of this story may be uncertain, but the application is true; he that envies others the use of his gifts decays then, but he thrives most that is most diffusive. [ Spencer ]