Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes by Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes From Charles Caleb Colton The reason why great men meet with so little pity or attachment in adversity, would seem to be this: the friends of a great man were made by his fortune, his enemies by himself, and revenge is a much more punctual paymaster than gratitude. Charles Caleb Colton gratitude adversity revenge Friendship, of itself a holy tie, is made more sacred by adversity. Charles Caleb Colton adversity ties friendship If we steal thoughts from the moderns, it will be cried down as plagiarism; if from the ancients, it will be cried up as erudition. Charles Caleb Colton plagiarism stealing literature He that studies books alone, will know how things ought to be; and he that studies men, will know how things are. Charles Caleb Colton education men book God is on the side of virtue; for whoever dreads punishment suffers it, and whoever deserves it, dreads it . Charles Caleb Colton punishment suffering sides None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them. Charles Caleb Colton gossip secret mean To know a man, observe how he wins his object, rather than how he loses it; for when we fail, our pride supports us - when we succeed, it betrays us. Charles Caleb Colton pride winning success We own almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed but to those who have differed. Charles Caleb Colton wisdom literature knowledge He that knows himself, knows others; and he that is ignorant of himself, could not write a very profound lecture on other men's heads. Charles Caleb Colton writing men profound So blinded are we by our passions, that we suffer more to be damned than to be saved. Charles Caleb Colton passion saved suffering Vanity finds in self-love so powerful an ally that it storms, as it were, by a coup de main,, the citadel of our heads, where, having blinded the two watchmen, it readily descends into the heart. Charles Caleb Colton vanity powerful heart Life often presents us with a choice of evils, rather than of goods. Charles Caleb Colton goods choices evil Shining outward qualities, although they may excite first-rate expectations, are not unusually found to be the companions of second-rate abilities. Charles Caleb Colton quality shining expectations Purity lives and derives its life solely from the Spirit of God. Charles Caleb Colton spirit-of-god purity spirit Our actions must clothe us with an immortality loathsome or glorious. Charles Caleb Colton immortality our-actions action The wisest man may be wiser to-day than he was yesterday, and to-morrow than he is to-day. Total freedom from change would imply total freedom from error; but this is the prerogative of Omniscience alone. Charles Caleb Colton wisest-man errors men Philosophers have widely differed as to the seat of the soul, and St. Paul has told us that out of the heart proceed murmurings; but there can be no doubt that the seat of perfect contentment is in the head, for every individual is thoroughly satisfied with his own proportion of brains. Charles Caleb Colton soul perfect heart We submit to the society of those that can inform us, but we seek the society of those whom we can inform. And men of genius ought not to be chagrined if they see themselves neglected. For when we communicate knowledge, we are raised in our own estimation; but when we receive it, we are lowered. Charles Caleb Colton society genius men Those who have resources within themselves, who can dare to live alone, want friends the least, but, at the same time, best know how to prize them the most. But no company is far preferable to bad, because we are more apt to catch the vices of others than their virtues, as disease is far more contagious than health. Charles Caleb Colton society disease vices The sceptic, when he plunges into the depths of infidelity, like the miser who leaps from the shipwreck, will find that the treasures which he bears about him will only sink him deeper in the abyss. Charles Caleb Colton infidelity treasure depth
