The truth is cruel but it can be loved and it makes free those who have loved it.

Honesty is the cruelest game of all because not only can you hurt someone - and hurt them to the bone - you can feel self-righteous about it at the same time.

Lust is to the other passions what the nervous fluid is to life it supports them all lends strength to them all ambition cruelty avarice revenge are all founded on lust.

I learned that it is the weak who are cruel and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong.

Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong.

All of us in society are supposed to believe that cruelty to animals is wrong and that it is a good thing to prevent needless suffering. So if that is true how can meat be acceptable under any but the most extraordinary circumstances such as perhaps roasting the bird who died flying into a window?

I am certain no one sets out to be cruel but our treatment of the elderly ill seems to have no philosophy to it. As a society we should establish whether we have a policy of life at any cost.

Melancholy and sadness are the start of doubt... doubt is the beginning of despair despair is the cruel beginning of the differing degrees of wickedness.

Scotsmen are metaphisical and emotional they are sceptical and mystical they are romantic and ironic they are cruel and tender and full of mirth and despair.

Cruel persecutions and intolerance are not accidents but grow out of the very essence of religion namely its absolute claims.