Prudence is often regarded as a supreme virtue. As Mark Twain wrote in The Diary of Eve: "Constant prudence is the highest value."
It is crucial to maintain caution between words and actions. Shakespeare reminds us in Hamlet: "Do not say what you think without thinking; always think thrice before acting."
Dickens further elaborates on the vigilance required for the unknown in Bleak House: "One should have little to do with people one does not know, and little to do with things one does not understand, for everyone knows that one should not do inexplicable things, should not participate in shady secrets, and should not walk on unseen ground."
Balzac points out in Selected Essays by Balzac that the loss of control over emotions and words may bring hidden dangers: "It is not a problem if a person is enthusiastic, but if they speak what they think and love what they feel, it will drag them into situations that will be disadvantageous to them in the future."
Regarding the strategy of being "airtight," Balzac distinguishes two levels in The Thirteen Tales: "When you need to be airtight, you must understand there are two kinds: active and passive. Passive airtightness is the way of fools; they use silence, denial, stern faces, and closing doors, which is genuine incompetence! Active airtightness is achieved through affirmation."
Hugo emphasizes the power of prudence in On Scott: "Prudence is much stronger than boldness, proving that those who seem fearless are actually terrified of those who are careful about everything."
However, actions often come with a double-edged sword effect. Hugo writes in Les Misérables: "There is no sword that is single-edged; every sword has two edges, one that wounds others and the other that wounds oneself."
Romain Rolland advocates for contentment in Cora Brénon: "Everyone should be content and should not fantasize about transgressing boundaries."
The Biography of Tolstoy emphasizes the importance of focus and decisiveness: "One must devote oneself wholeheartedly to the work one is engaged in. When a strong impression is gained, one should not act immediately; but after consideration, even if the consideration is wrong, one should do it resolutely."
Gorky depicts the state of a solid foundation in The Business of the Altamontovs: "The things around you are yours, the ground under your feet is yours; the things on the ground are yours, and those underground are yours too. Only then can one be said to be standing firm!"
In Mother, Gorky warns of the consequences of talking too much: "If you talk too much, you are bound to say some nonsense..."
Mark Twain analyzes the essence of prudence in Jeanne d'Arc: "Prudence is purely a quality of the heart; it proceeds by feeling rather than reason. Its limit is correspondingly broader and loftier, enabling it to detect and avoid dangers that do not exist at all."
Balzac mentions the value of forbearance in The Human Comedy: "Forbearance is a capital that supports work."
Self-inflicted wounds are often the hardest to heal. Shakespeare laments in Troilus and Cressida: "The harm one inflicts upon oneself is the hardest to cure."
The danger of temptation lies in its disguise. Shakespeare points out in Measure for Measure: "The temptation to sin, driven by the love of pure things, is the most dangerous."
In A Midsummer Night's Dream, he praises the power of silence: "The emotions expressed by wordless simplicity are the most abundant."
Dickens emphasizes the law of cause and effect in Bleak House: "Since you have committed the sin, you may say it is self-inflicted."
Balzac insights into the impact of minor behaviors in Oronine: "Those who have reached a certain age and no longer live in a muddled state know that seemingly trivial actions can have a significant impact on major life events."
In Peasants, he criticizes shallow pursuits: "A person who understands reason will not cultivate a habit just to pass half a month of time. No matter how fertile the land or how magnificent the crops, for those who can only see the surface, they quickly become tasteless."
Hugo expresses criticism of worldly desires in L'Homme qui rit: "Entering the flower garden in old age is a great disgrace." And, "If we carefully study all our desires, we will find that almost all of them contain content that is difficult to speak of."
Tolstoy's Collected Essays emphasizes the importance of internal change: "The change in human life does not lie in the change of external forms, but can only be based on the self-perfection of each individual."
Biography of Tagore explores desire and restraint: "Desire and restraint often coexist; both are legitimate and real."
Tagore reflects on the passage of time in Chitra: "Things that exist in non-idle days will not live longer than those days. When the gate of separation it has passed closes behind it, joy turns into sorrow."
Balzac emphasizes the value of credit in Double Bill: "For a person to strictly keep a promise is more important than guarding his property, because keeping a promise can gain property, while no amount of property can erase the stain on the conscience caused by breaking a promise."
Finally, Mark Twain metaphorically describes debt in The Gilded Age: "Debt is a biting snake."
