William Hazlitt Quotes
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There is a softness and a harmony in the words and in the thought unparalleled. Of all conceits it is surely the most classical. "I count only the hours that are serene.".
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Familiarity confounds all traits of distinction; interest and prejudice take away the power of judging.
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The garb of religion is the best cloak for power.
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Pride goes before a fall, they say, And yet we often find, The folks who throw all pride away Most often fall behind.
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Let a man's talents or virtues be what they may, he will only feel satisfaction in his society as he is satisfied in himself.
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Corporate bodies are more corrupt and profligate than individuals, because they have more power to do mischief, and are less amenable to disgrace or punishment. They feel neither shame, remorse, gratitude, nor goodwill.
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The person whose doors I enter with most pleasure, and quit with most regret, never did me the smallest favor.
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Fashion is gentility running away from vulgarity and afraid of being overtaken
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The public is so in awe of its own opinion that it never dares to form any, but catches up the first idle rumour, lest it should be behindhand in its judgment, and echoes it till it is deafened with the sound of its own voice.
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I hate to be near the sea, and to hear it roaring and raging like a wild beast in its den. It puts me in mind of the everlasting efforts of the human mind, struggling to be free, and ending just where it began.
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The poetical impression of any object is that uneasy, exquisite sense of beauty or power that cannot be contained within itself; that is impatient of all limit; that (as flame bends to flame) strives to link itself to some other image of kindred beauty or grandeur; to enshrine itself, as it were, in the highest forms of fancy, and to relieve the aching sense of pleasure by expressing it in the boldest manner.
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The most rational cure after all for the inordinate fear of death is to set a just value on life.
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All is without form and void. Someone said of his landscapes that they were pictures of nothing and very like.
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The greatest grossness sometimes accompanies the greatest refinement, as a natural relief.
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Man is a make-believe animal: he is never so truly himself as when he is acting a part.
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The dupe of friendship, and the fool of love; have I not reason to hate and to despise myself? Indeed I do; and chiefly for not having hated and despised the world enough.
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The true barbarian is he who thinks everything barbarous but his own tastes and prejudices.
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I do not think that what is called Love at first sight is so great an absurdity as it is sometimes imagined to be. We generally make up our minds beforehand to the sort of person we should like, grave or gay, black, brown, or fair; with golden tresses or raven locks; - and when we meet with a complete example of the qualities we admire, the bargain is soon struck.
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If our hours were all serene, we might probably take almost as little note of them as the dial does of those that are clouded.
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He will never have true friends who is afraid of making enemies.
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We grow tired of ourselves, much more of other people.
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Actors are the only honest hypocrites.
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There are no rules for friendship. It must be left to itself. We cannot force it any more than love.
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Learning is, in too many cases, but a foil to common sense; a substitute for true knowledge.