Book of Wise Sayings

Friendship, patience and the value of knowledge recur in the numbered maxims gathered by W. A. Clouston. His selection draws largely from Eastern sources, including Indian epics, the Talmud and Persian poets, while also presenting sayings by Goethe, Hazlitt and other writers. Short prose observations alternate with verse. Occasional notes compare passages from different traditions, and the preface argues that concise moral advice can guide young people as they enter active life.

The entries turn everyday concerns into subjects for reflection: handling praise, forgiving injuries, choosing friends and finding contentment. Flowers, changing seasons and precious metals supply images for thoughts about adversity and the passing of time. Clouston keeps the collection within the scale of a pocket volume. Its brief, separately numbered passages make it suitable for reading a few selections at a time, comparing their advice and considering how it applies to personal conduct.