Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury Born : April 28, 1801Died : October 1, 1885 Browse All Authors Top 36 quotes by Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury Nothing affects the heart like that which is purely from itself, and of its own nature; such as the beauty of sentiments, the grace of actions, the turn of characters, and the proportions and features of a human mind. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury graceheartcharacter A right mind and generous affection hath more beauty and charms than all other symmetries in the world besides; and a grain of honesty and native worth is of more value than all the adventitious ornaments, estates, or preferments; for the sake of which some of the better sort so oft turn knaves. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury ornamentshonestymind We may have an excellent ear for music, without being able to perform in any kind; we may judge well of poetry, without being poets, or possessing the least of a poetic vein; but we can have no tolerable notion of goodness without being tolerably good. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury veinsjudgingears It is the same with understanding as with eyes; to a certain size and make, just so much light is necessary, and no more. Whatever is beyond brings darkness and confusion. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury confusionlighteye It is necessary a writing critic should understand how to write. And though every writer is not bound to show himself in the capacity of critic, every writing critic is bound to show himself capable of being a writer; for if he be apparently impotent in this latter kind, he is to be denied all title or character in the other. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury titleswritingcharacter The one and only formative power given to man Is thought. By his thinking he not only makes character, but body and affairs, for as he thinketh within himself, so is he. Prejudice is a mist, which in our journey through the world often dims the brightest and obscures the best of all the good and glorious objects that meet us on our way. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury journeycharactermen No one was ever the better for advice: in general, what we called giving advice was properly taking an occasion to show our own wisdom at another's expense; and to receive advice was little better than tamely to another the occasion of raising himself a character from our defects. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury advicegivingcharacter The passion of fear (as a modern philosopher informs me) determines the spirits of the muscles of the knees, which are instantly ready to perform their motion, by taking up the legs with incomparable celerity, in order to remove the body out of harm's way. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury passionfearorder Temper, if ungoverned, governs the whole man. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury temperwholemen It is not wit merely, but temper, which must form the well-bred man. In the same manner it is not a head merely, but a heart and resolution, which must complete the real philosopher. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury realheartmen If we are told a man is religious we still ask what are his morals? But if we hear at first that he has honest morals, and is a man of natural justice and good temper, we seldom think of the other question, whether he be religious and devout. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury religiousmenthinking When men are easy in themselves, they let others remain so. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury easyhappinessmen They who are great talkers in company have never been any talkers by themselves, nor used to private discussions of our home regimen. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury usedhometalking In nature, all is managed for the best with perfect frugality and just reserve, profuse to none, but bountiful to all; never employing on one thing more than enough, but with exact economy retrenching the superfluous, and adding force to what is principal in everything. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury moneynatureperfect As many as are the difficulties which Virtue has to encounter in this world, her force is yet superior. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury encountersvirtueworld Truth is the most powerful thing in the world, since even fiction itself must be governed by it, and can only please by its resemblance. The appearance of reality is necessary to make any passion agreeably represented, and to be able to move others we must be moved ourselves, or at least seem to be so, upon some probable grounds. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury powerfultruthmoving
