Levity is often less foolish and gravity less wise than each of them appears. Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes by Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes From Charles Caleb Colton If a cause be good, the most violent attack of its enemies will not injure it so much as an injudicious defence of it by its friends. Charles Caleb Colton violentcausesenemy That theatrical kind of virtue, which requires publicity for its stage, and an applauding world for its audience, could not be depended on, in the secrecy of solitude, or the retirement of a desert. Charles Caleb Colton desertsolituderetirement There is but one pursuit in life which it is in the power of all to follow, and of all to attain. It is subject to no disappointments, since he that perseveres, makes every difficulty an advancement, and every contest a victory; and this is the pursuit of virtue. Charles Caleb Colton advancementvictorydisappointment Sincerely to aspire after virtue, is to gain her; and zealously to labour after her wages, is to receive them. Charles Caleb Colton gainsvirtuewages Cruel men are the greatest lovers of Mercy, avaricious men of generosity, and proud men of humility; that is to say, in other, not in themselves. Charles Caleb Colton generosityhumilitymen He that can enjoy the intimacy of the great, and on no occasion disgust them by familiarity, or disgrace himself by servility, proves that he is as perfect a gentleman by nature as his companions are by rank. Charles Caleb Colton intimacygentlemanperfect Any one can give advice, such as it is, but only a wise man knows how to profit by it. Charles Caleb Colton wisegivingmen He that has never known adversity is but half acquainted with others, or with himself. Charles Caleb Colton knownadversityhalf The gamester, if he die a martyr to his profession, is doubly ruined. He adds his soul to every other loss, and by the act of suicide, renounces earth to forfeit Heaven. Charles Caleb Colton gamblingsuicideloss Hypocrites act by virtue.... They frame many counterfeits of her, with which they make an ostentatious parade, in all public assemblies, and processions; but the original of what they counterfeit, and which may indeed be said to have fallen from heaven, they produce so seldom, that it is cankered by the rust of sloth, and useless from non-application. Charles Caleb Colton hypocrisyhypocriteheaven None of us are so much praised or censured as we think. Charles Caleb Colton vanitythinking The true motives of our actions, like the real pipes of an organ, are usually concealed; but the gilded and hollow pretext is pompously placed in the front for show. Charles Caleb Colton our-actionsdeceitreal Human foresight often leaves its proudest possessor only a choice of evils. Charles Caleb Colton choicesdecisionevil Extemporaneous and oral harangues will always have this advantage over those that are read from a in manuscript: every burst of eloquence or spark of genius they may contain, however studied they may have been beforehand, will appear to the audience to be the effect of the sudden inspiration of talent. Charles Caleb Colton geniusinspirationmay Eloquence, to produce her full effect, should start from the head of the orator, as Pallas from the brain of Jove, completely armed and equipped. Diffidence, therefore, which is so able a mentor to the writer, would prove a dangerous counsellor for the orator. Charles Caleb Colton mentorablebrain The art of declamation has been sinking in value from the moment that speakers were foolish enough to publish, and hearers wise enough to read. Charles Caleb Colton momentswiseart There is no cruelty so inexorable and unrelenting as that which proceeds from a bigoted and presumptuous supposition of doing service to God. The victim of the fanatical persecutor will find that the stronger the motives he can urge for mercy are, the weaker will be his chance for obtaining it, for the merit of his destruction will be supposed to rise in value in proportion as it is effected at the expense of every feeling both of justice and of humanity. Charles Caleb Colton humanityjusticefeelings The more gross the fraud the more glibly will it go down, and the more greedily be swallowed, since folly will always find faith where impostors will find imprudence. Charles Caleb Colton grossfrauddown-and If Satan ever laughs, it must be at hypocrites; they are the greatest dupes he has. Charles Caleb Colton hypocrisyhypocritelaughing Idleness is the grand Pacific Ocean of life, and in that stagnant abyss the most salutary things produce no good, the most noxious no evil. Vice, indeed, abstractedly considered, may be, and often is engendered in idleness; but the moment it becomes efficiently vice, it must quit its cradle and cease to be idle. Charles Caleb Colton often-isoceanevil
