Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
If you see one cold and vehement at the same time, set him down for a fanatic.
The ambitious sacrifices all to what he terms honor, as the miser all to money.
Avoid the eye that discovers with rapidity the bad, and is slow to see the good.
The more any one speaks of himself, the less he likes to hear another talked of.
Action, looks, words, steps, form the alphabet by which you may spell character.
Say not you know another entirely till you have divided an inheritance with him.
The manner of giving shows the character of the giver, more than the gift itself.
There is no mortal truly wise and restless at once; wisdom is the repose of minds.
In the society of ladies, want of sense is not so unpardonable as want of manners.
Who despises all that is despicable is made to be impressed with all that is grand.
There are three classes of men; the retrograde, the stationary and the progressive.
The wrath that on conviction subsides into mildness, is the wrath of a generous mind.
Let none turn over books, or roam the stars in quest of God, who sees him not in man.
Strange that cowards cannot see that their greatest safety lies in dauntless courage.
He whose pride oppresses the humble may perhaps be humbled, but will never be humble.
Copiousness and simplicity, variety and unity, constitute real greatness of character.
Who cuts is easily wounded. The readier you are to offend the sooner you are offended.
Know in the first place, that mankind agree in essence, as they do in limbs and senses.
He who always prefaces his tale with laughter, is poised between impertinence and folly.
Who knows whence he comes, where he is, and whither he tends, he, and he alone, is wise.
Him, who incessantly laughs in the street, you may commonly hear grumbling in his closet.
Just so far as we are pleased at finding faults, are we displeased at finding perfection.
Trust him with none of thy individualities who is, or pretends to be, two things at once.
Trust him not with your secrets, who, when left alone in your room, turns over your papers.
The obstinacy of the indolent and weak is less conquerable than that of the fiery and bold.
The man who loves with his whole heart truth will love still more he who suffers for truth.
Who partakes in another's joys is a more humane character than he who partakes in his griefs.
He who goes round about in his requests wants commonly more than he chooses to appear to want.
A single spark of occasion discharges the child of passions into a thousand crackers of desire.
He submits to be seen through a microscope, who suffers himself to be caught in a fit of passion.
To know yourself you have only to set down a true statement of those that ever loved or hated you.
Three things characterize man: person, fate, merit--the harmony of these constitutes real grandeur.
Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it; nor at any time in the extremes of it.
Each particle of matter is an immensity, each leaf a world, each insect an inexplicable compendium.
The mingled incentives which lead to action are often too subtle and lie too deep for us to analyze.
It is a poor wit who lives by borrowing the words, decisions, mien, inventions and actions of others.
The acquisition of will, for one thing exclusively, presupposes entire acquaintance with many others.
Avoid him who from mere curiosity asks three questions running about a thing that cannot interest Him.
Trust him little who praise all, him less who censures all and him least who is indifferent about all.
The procrastinator is not only indolent and weak, but commonly, false, too; most of the weak are false.
Who gives is positive; who receives is negative; still there remains an immense class of mere passives.
He who prorogues the honesty of today till to-morrow will probably prorogue his to-morrows to eternity.
He submits himself to be seen through a microscope, who suffers himself to be caught in a fit of passion.
Certain trifling flaws sit as disgracefully on a character of elegance as a ragged button on a court dress.
He knows very little of mankind who expects, by any facts or reasoning, to convince a determined party man.
He who reforms himself has done more towards reforming the public than a crowd or noisy, impotent patriots.
He is incapable of a truly good action who finds not a pleasure in contemplating the good actions of others.
If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you know already.
If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you already know.
He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.