Comenius Quotes
Jan Amos Komensky, known in Latin as Comenius, was a Czech bishop of the Unity of the Brethren, philosopher, theologian, and the principal architect of modern educational thought. Driven into exile by the Thirty Years' War, he spent decades wandering across central and northern Europe, advising princes and reformers from Poland to England, Sweden, and the Netherlands. The quotes below are attributed to Comenius, organized by topic.
Browse Comenius by topic
Comenius on Justice
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“A good comedian can say things funny and other guys just say funny things.”
Fred Allen , attributed by Robert Lemke in The Sunday Press (Binghamton, NY), “Rock ‘n Roll ‘Musically Horrid” Says Ex-2-a-Dayer,” pg. 2-C, col. 1 (9 August 1959)
Comenius on Knowledge
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Attributed to Comenius:
“Let the main object be to find a method by which teachers teach less, but learners learn more.”
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Attributed to Comenius:
“Education is the means by which the human being becomes most fully human.”
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Attributed to Comenius:
“Whatever is to be learned must be learned in its proper order.”
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“Jesting and levity lead a man to lewdness.”
Akiba ben Joseph , Pirkei Avot , 3:17. -
“Akiba ben Joseph , Pirkei Avot , 3:17.”
Jesting and levity lead a man to lewdness. -
“I use humor as a way to cope with that and to let our community know that we’re not invisible, at least not to us.”
Lalo Alcaraz interview (2017) -
“Lalo Alcaraz interview (2017)”
I use humor as a way to cope with that and to let our community know that we’re not invisible, at least not to us. -
“Fred Allen , attributed by Robert Lemke in The Sunday Press (Binghamton, NY), “Rock ‘n Roll ‘Musically Horrid” Says Ex-2-a-Dayer,” pg. 2-C, col. 1 (9 August 1959)”
A good comedian can say things funny and other guys just say funny things. -
“Steve Allen , Funny People (1981)”
Without laughter life on our planet would be intolerable. So important is laughter to us that humanity highly rewards members of one of the most unusual professions on earth , those who make a living by inducing laughter in others. This is very strange if you stop to think of it: that otherwise sane and responsible citizens should devote their professional energies to causing others to make sharp,
Comenius on Life
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“Without laughter life on our planet would be intolerable. So important is laughter to us that humanity highly rewards members of one of the most unusual professions on earth , those who make a living by inducing laughter in others. This is very strange if you stop to think of it: that otherwise sane and responsible citizens should devote their professional energies to causing others to make sharp, explosive barking-like exhalations.”
Steve Allen , Funny People (1981)
Comenius on Nature
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Attributed to Comenius:
“All things in nature have their seasons, and so does human learning.”
Comenius on Politics
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Attributed to Comenius:
“We are all citizens of one world.”
Comenius on Time
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“False Humour differs from the True as a monkey does from a man.... I have here only pointed at the whole species of false humorists; but, as one of my principal designs in this paper is to beat down that malignant spirit which discovers itself in the writings of the present age, I shall not scruple, for the future, to single out any of the small wits that infest the world with such compositions as are ill-natured, immoral, and absurd.”
Joseph Addison , Essays & Tales , True & False Humour , (1888)
Comenius on Truth
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“Joseph Addison , Essays & Tales , True & False Humour , (1888)”
False Humour differs from the True as a monkey does from a man.... I have here only pointed at the whole species of false humorists; but, as one of my principal designs in this paper is to beat down that malignant spirit which discovers itself in the writings of the present age, I shall not scruple, for the future, to single out any of the small wits that infest the world with such compositions as