I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only increased my desire to be free, and set me to thinking of plans to gain my freedom. I have found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when he ceased to be a man.
The great quality of Dulness is to be unalterably contented with itself.
I am quite my own master, agreeably lodged, perfectly easy in my circumstances. I am contented with my situation, and happy because I think myself so.
Whoever has not learned to let Nature have her way is not fit for a gardener, or, for that matter, for a contented soul. A garden makes all our senses swim with pleasure.
I paint as I want to with no holds barred. I am more contented lately than I have been for a long time about my work. But not dangerously so.
Never, never rest contented with any circle of ideas, but always be certain that a wider one is still possible.
How true it is that, if we are cheerful and contented, all nature smiles, the air seems more balmy, the sky clearer, the earth has a brighter green. . . the flowers are more fragrant. . . and the sun, moon, and stars all appear more beautiful, and seem to rejoice with us.
If thou desire not to be poor, desire not to be too rich. He is rich, not that possesses much, but he that covets no more; and he is poor, not that enjoys little, but he that wants too much. The contented mind wants nothing which it hath not; the covetous mind wants, not only what it hath not, but likewise what it hath.
We see nothing but good and hope in a richer, freer, more contented European commonalty. But we have our own dreams and our own task. We are with Europe, but not of it. We are linked, but not comprised. We are interested and associated, but not absorbed.
You have grown abominably lazy, and you like gossip, and waste time on frivolous things, you are contented to be petted and admired by silly people, instead of being loved and respected by wise ones.
We cannot be contented because we are happy, and we cannot be happy because we are contented.
It is not being out at heels that makes a man discontented, it is being out at heart. To be contented is to be good friends with yourself.
For in a dearth of comforts, we art taught To be contented with the least.
I'll think of something," he temporized, and Horace nodded wisely, satisfied that Halt would indeed think of something. In Horace's world, that was what Rangers did best, and the best thing a warrior apprentice could do was let the Ranger get on with thinking while a warrior took care of walloping anyone who needed to be walloped along the way. He settled back in the saddle, contented with his lot in life.
When shall I at last retire into solitude alone, without companions, without joy and without sorrow, with only the sacred certainty that all is a dream? When, in my rags—without desires—shall I retire contented into the mountains? When, seeing that my body is merely sickness and crime, age and death, shall I—free, fearless, and blissful—retire to the forest? When? When, oh when?
I would do what I pleased, and doing what I pleased, I should have my will, and having my will, I should be contented; and when one is contented, there is no more to be desired; and when there is no more to be desired, there is an end of it.
Man is never perfect nor contented.
When men are employed they are best contented.
For me, I would rather read a good book, from a contented author. I don't really care what it takes to produce that.
He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.