APHORISMQuintessential extract of thought and feeling.MAXIMA condensed proposition of important practical truth. Classic Pearls of WisdomRegularly shared by word of mouth, aphorisms and maxims were incredibly popular in the days before mass communication and social media. Just like a great quote posted on facebook or twitter, aphorisms and maxims resonate with so many people, they hit the spot, they make you think and reflect on your own experience; in the words of William Alger writing in 1863 "They furnish the largest amount of intellectual stimulus and nutriment in the smallest compass."