„The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident.“

„Man was created for the sole purpose of rejoicing in God and deriving pleasure from the splendor of His Presence; for this is true joy and the greatest pleasure that can be found.“

—  Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, libro Mesillat Yesharim

Mesillat Yesharim (1738), Chapter 1

„The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.“

—  Walter Bagehot British journalist, businessman, and essayist 1826 - 1877

„Poetry is the greatest literature, and pleasure in poetry is the greatest of literary pleasures. It is also the least easy to attain and there are some people who never do attain it.“

—  Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon British Liberal statesman 1862 - 1933

Recreation (1919)

„I was astonished at the pleasure to be derived from doing good.“

—  Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, libro Les Liaisons dangereuses

J’ai été étonné du plaisir qu’on éprouve en faisant le bien.
Letter 21: Le Vicomte de Valmont to la Marquise de Merteuil. Trans. P.W.K. Stone (1961). http://www.cartage.org.lb/fr/themes/livreBiblioteques/Livres/Biblio(fr)/L/Lacl/Liaisonsdangereuses/lett21.htm
Les liaisons dangereuses (1782)

„It has not been in vain: the good, the enlightened of all ages and nations have found pleasure and consolation in the beauty of the rural earth.“

—  Thomas Cole American artist 1801 - 1848

Essay on American Scenery in American Monthly Magazine (January 1836)
Contexto: It has not been in vain: the good, the enlightened of all ages and nations have found pleasure and consolation in the beauty of the rural earth. Prophets of old retired into the solitudes of nature to wait the inspiration of heaven. It was upon Mount Horeb that Elijah experienced the mighty wind, the earthquake, and the fire; and, heard the small still voice. That voice is yet heard among the mountains!

„Well, I once wrote in - it's in Joan Mitchell Paints a Picture, as I remember, Irving Sandler, a long time ago, that I hated the word 'Nature' with a capital 'N.'... But now I accept it, I suppose. I mean, I really like trees and flowers and dogs and all that much more than.... a lot of other people [do]... You know, I really do get pleasure out of... Great pleasure. Out of just looking at... But I have fun here [New York] too, you know.“

—  Joan Mitchell American painter 1925 - 1992

Tape number two, side A
1975 - 1992

„And I know that all I understand about living is having your work to do, and being able to do it. That’s the pleasure, and the glory, and all. And if you can’t do the work, or it’s taken from you, then what’s any good? You have to have something….“

—  Ursula K. Le Guin American writer 1929 - 2018

Fuente: Earthsea Books, Tehanu (1990), Chapter 8, "Hawks"

„One of my greatest pleasures in life is promising myself I will not drink, or smoke, or take coke, or do heroin, or eat cookies, then doing it. It’s a pleasure that can be repeated daily.“

—  Amanda Filipacchi, libro Love Creeps

Love Creeps (2005)

„I believe… that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another.“

—  Thomas Jefferson 3rd President of the United States of America 1743 - 1826

Letter to John Adams (1816)
1810s

„But in all these matters I want to remain behind the screen and this move should come from you. You are aware, how anxious I am for the good of the Musalmans, and I would, therefore, render all help with the greatest pleasure. I can prepare and draft the address for you. If it be prepared in Bombay then I can revise it because I know the art of drawing up petitions in good language. But Nawabsaheb, please remember that if within a short time any great and effective action has to be taken, then you should act quickly.“

—  James Dunlop Smith 1858 - 1921

Correspondence between Viceroy Lord Minto’s private secretary, Colonel Dunlop Smith, and Muslim leaders. quoted in Vikram Sampath - Savarkar, Echoes from a Forgotten Past, 1883–1924 (2019)

„Thought is the greatest of pleasures —pleasure itself is only imagination—have you ever enjoyed anything more than your dreams?“

—  Gustave Flaubert French writer (1821–1880) 1821 - 1880

„The greatest efforts of the race have always been traceable to the love of praise, as its greatest catastrophes to the love of pleasure.“

—  John Ruskin English writer and art critic 1819 - 1900

Sesame and Lilies, lecture I: Sesame. Of King's Treasuries, section 3 (1864-1865)

„I was born lost and take no pleasure in being found.“

—  John Steinbeck, libro Travels with Charley: In Search of America

Fuente: Travels with Charley: In Search of America

„Knowing you have something good to read before bed is among the most pleasurable of sensations.“

—  Vladimir Nabokov Russian-American novelist, lepidopterist, professor 1899 - 1977

„Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains.“

—  Democritus Ancient Greek philosopher, pupil of Leucippus, founder of the atomic theory

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

„Girl, you don't know what you're puttin' through. It's a business doing pleasure, a business doing pleasure with you.“

—  Tim McGraw American country singer 1967

It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You
Song lyrics, Southern Voice (2009)

„People seem to enjoy things more when they know a lot of other people have been left out of the pleasure.“

—  Russell Baker writer and satirst from the United States 1925 - 2019

"The Sport of Counting Each Other Out" The New York Times (1967-11-02)

„The truth is, I do indulge myself a little the more in pleasure, knowing that this is the proper age of my life to do it; and out of my observation that most men that do thrive in the world, do forget to take pleasure during the time that they are getting their estate, but reserve that till they have got one, and then it is too late for them to enjoy it with any pleasure.“

—  Samuel Pepys English naval administrator and member of parliament 1633 - 1703

March 10, 1666
Diary

„I found that it is much more pleasurable to read adventures than to live them.“

—  John Varley, libro The Ophiuchi Hotline

Fuente: The Ophiuchi Hotline (1977), Chapter 23 (p. 210)