Thomas Gray Quotes

All that seems indispensible in stating the account between the dead and the living, is to see that the debts against the latter do not exceed the advances made by the former.

Those who give hoping to be rewarded with honor are not giving, they are bargaining.

Men do not value a good deed unless it brings a reward.

Even if you feel someone has wronged you or owes you something, no one is going to give you anything for free.

Why we should put ourselves out of our way to do anything for posterity, for what has posterity ever done for us?

Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.

A great many men's gratitude is nothing but a secret desire to hook in more valuable kindnesses hereafter.

Gratitude, in most men, is only a strong and secret hope of greater favors.

What are you doing here? (Artemis) I wanted to thank you for what you did tonight, but as I considered that, it dawned on me that you have never once in eleven thousand years done anything for me for free. The sheer fear factor of that realization alone has made me come seeking you. So what gives? (Acheron)

Maybe the only thing worse than having to give gratitude constantlyall the time, is having to accept it.

We all owe to others much of the gentleness and wisdom that we have made our own; and we may well ask ourselves what will others owe to us

gratitude, n. A sentiment lying midway between a benefit received and a benefit expected.

As there are none so weak that we may venture to injure them with impunity, so there are none so low that they may not at some time be able to repay an obligation. Therefore, what benevolence would dictate, prudence would confirm.

Take gifts with a sigh: most men give to be paid.

Posterity always degenerates till it becomes our ancestors.

A word of wisdom to you, akribos, you need to learn to accept gifts. (Catera) There’s no such thing as a gift. If I were to take that from you, sooner or later you would ask a favor from me in return. Nothing in life is ever truly given without expectation. (Acheron)

When men receive favours from someone they expected to do them ill, they are under a greater obligation to their benefactor.

You cannot ensure the gratitude of others for a favour conferred upon them in the way which is most agreeable to yourself.

Gratitude is a debt which usually goes on accumulating like blackmail; the more you pay, the more is exacted.

We are all, I suppose, beholden to our parents - the question is, how much?

May posterity show mercy when it look back upon the work we do today. We did what we could with what we had.

He that gives me small gifts would have me live.

Friendship is a contract in which we render small services in expectation of big ones.

"I believe that no characteristic is so distinctively human as the sense of indebtedness we feel, not necessarily for a favor received, but even for the slightest evidence of kindness; and there is nothing so boorish, savage, inhuman as to appear to be overwhelmed by a favor, let alone unworthy of it."

There is no gratitude for things past. Gratitude is always for what you're going to do for people in the future.