Charles Caleb Colton Quotes
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In religion as in politics it so happens that we have less charity for those who believe half our creed, than for those who deny the whole of it.
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Knowledge is two-fold, and consists not only in an affirmation of what is true, but in the negation of that which is false.
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To write what is worth publishing, to find honest people to publish it, and get sensible people to read it, are the three great difficulties in being an author.
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Marriage is a feast where the grace is sometimes better than the dinner.
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From the preponderance of talent, we may always infer the soundness and vigour of the commonwealth; but from the preponderance of riches, its dotage and degeneration.
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The two most precious things this side of the grave are our reputation and our life. But it is to be lamented that the most contemptible whisper may deprive us of the one, and the weakest weapon of the other.
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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
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Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance.
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Men are born with two eyes, but with one tongue, in order that they should see twice as much as they say.
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Silence is foolish if we are wise, but wise if we are foolish.
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Drunkenness is the vice of a good constitution or of a bad memory-of a constitution so treacherously good that it never bends till it breaks; or of a memory that recollects the pleasures of getting intoxicated, but forgets the pains of getting sober.
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It is always safe to learn, even from our enemies; seldom safe to venture to instruct, even our friends.
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The drafts which true genius draws upon posterity, although they may not always be honored so soon as they are due, are sure to be paid with compound interest in the end.
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He who studies books alone will know how things ought to be, and he who studies men will know how they are.
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Contemporaries appreciate the person rather than their merit, posterity will regard the merit rather than the person.
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Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it's set a rolling it must increase.
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Instead of exhibiting talent in the hope that the world would forgive their eccentricities, they have exhibited only their eccentricities, in the hope that the world would give them credit for talent.
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To be obliged to beg our daily happiness from others bespeaks a more lamentable poverty than that of him who begs his daily bread.
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Patience is the support of weakness; impatience the ruin of strength.
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Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away.
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Wealth after all is a relative thing since he that has little and wants less is richer than he that has much and wants more.
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To know the pains of power, we must go to those who have it; to know its pleasures, we must go to those who are seeking it; the pains of power are real, its pleasures imaginary.
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True contentment depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Diogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander.
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The firmest of friendships have been formed in mutual adversity, as iron is most strongly united by the fiercest flame.