It is only hope which is real, and reality is a bitterness and a deceit. William Makepeace Thackeray More Quotes by William Makepeace Thackeray More Quotes From William Makepeace Thackeray Choose a good disagreeable friend, if you be wise--a surly, steady, economical, rigid fellow. William Makepeace Thackeray surly friends wise In effective womanly beauty form is more than face, and manner more than either. William Makepeace Thackeray form grace faces Be it remembered that man subsists upon the air more than upon his meat and drink; but no one can exist for an hour without a copious supply of air. The atmosphere which some breathe is contaminated and adulterated, and with its vital principles so diminished that it cannot fully decarbonize the blood, nor fully excite the nervous system. William Makepeace Thackeray health air men Then sing as Martin Luther sang, As Doctor Martin Luther sang, "Who loves not wine, woman and song, He is a fool his whole life long." William Makepeace Thackeray women song life Let us people who are so uncommonly clever and learned have a great tenderness and pity for the poor folks who are not endowed with the prodigious talents which we have. William Makepeace Thackeray talent clever people Let us be very gentle with our neighbors' failings, and forgive our friends their debts as we hope ourselves to be forgiven. William Makepeace Thackeray debt forgiving failing Taste is something quite different from fashion, superior to fashion. William Makepeace Thackeray fashion different taste All is vanity, look you; and so the preacher is vanity too. William Makepeace Thackeray vanity preacher looks To be beautiful is enough! if a woman can do that well who should demand more from her? You don't want a rose to sing. William Makepeace Thackeray demand rose beautiful It is to the middle-class we must look for the safety of England. William Makepeace Thackeray safety class looks Pray God, keep us simple. William Makepeace Thackeray simplicity simple praying True love is better than glory. William Makepeace Thackeray glory love-is love We can't all be lions in this world. There must be some lambs, harmless, kindly, gregarious creatures for eating and shearing. William Makepeace Thackeray lambs lions world An evil person is like a dirty window, they never let the light shine through. William Makepeace Thackeray naughty light dirty If fun is good, truth is still better, and love best of all. William Makepeace Thackeray truth-is fun love The thorn in the cushion of the editorial chair. William Makepeace Thackeray editorials chairs journalism A woman's heart is just like a lithographer's stone; what is once written upon it cannot be rubbed out. William Makepeace Thackeray written stones heart I would rather make my name than inherit it. William Makepeace Thackeray names attitude inspirational It is all very well for you, who have probably never seen any spiritual manifestations, to talk as you do; but if you had seen what I have witnessed you would hold a different opinion. William Makepeace Thackeray opinion different spiritual Come forward, some great marshal, and organize equality in society, and your rod shall swallow up all the juggling old court gold-sticks William Makepeace Thackeray equality sticks gold