Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them. Washington Irving More Quotes by Washington Irving More Quotes From Washington Irving In civilized life, where the happiness, and indeed almost the existence, of man depends so much upon the opinion of his fellow men, he is constantly acting a studied part. Washington Irving happiness men life To look upon its grass grown yard, where the sunbeams seem to sleep so quietly, one would think that there at least the dead might rest in peace. Washington Irving rest-in-peace sleep thinking When friends grow cold, and the converse of intimates languishes into vapid civility and commonplace, these only continue the unaltered countenance of happier days, and cheer us with that true friendship which never deceived hope, nor deserted sorrow. Washington Irving true-friend cheer real Poetry had breathed over and sanctified the land. Washington Irving land Every antique farm-house and moss-grown cottage is a picture. Washington Irving moss cottages house Poetry is evidently a contagious complaint. Washington Irving contagious complaints poetry There's nothing like being in fashion. A man that has once got his character up for a wit is always sure of a laugh, say what he may. He may utter as much nonsense as he pleases, and all will pass current. No one stops to question the coin of a rich man; but a poor devil cannot pass off either a joke or a guinea without its being examined on both sides. Wit and coin are always doubted with a threadbare coat. Washington Irving fashion character men The youthful freshness of a blameless heart. Washington Irving freshness youth heart Villainy wears many masks; none so dangerous as the mask of virtue. Washington Irving mask dangerous virtue Young lawyers attend the courts, not because they have business there, but because they have no business. Washington Irving humorous business funny The natural effect of sorrow over the dead is to refine and elevate the mind. Washington Irving sorrow condolences mind As the vine which has long twined its graceful foliage about the oak and been lifted by it into sunshine, will, when the hardy plant is rifted by the thunderbolt, cling round it with its caressing tendrils and bind up its shattered boughs, so is it beautifully ordered by Providence that woman, who is the mere dependent and ornament of man in his happier hours, should be his stay and solace when smitten with sudden calamity, winding herself into the rugged recesses of his nature, tenderly supporting the drooping head, and binding up the broken heart. Washington Irving sunshine women heart Wit, after all, is a mighty tart, pungent ingredient, and much too acid for some stomachs; but honest good humor is the oil and wine of a merry meeting. Washington Irving ingredients oil wine The Indians with surprise found the mouldering trees of their forests suddenly teeming with ambrosial sweet; and nothing, I am told, can exceed the greedy relish with which they banquet for the first time upon this unbought luxury of the wilderness. Washington Irving luxury tree sweet From its peaceful bosom spring none but fond regrets and tender recollections. Washington Irving peaceful regret spring How idle a boast, after all, is the immortality of a name! Time is ever silently turning over his pages; we are too much engrossed by the story of the present to think of the character and anecdotes that gave interest to the past; and each age is a volume thrown aside and forgotten. Washington Irving character past thinking History is but a kind of Newgate calendar, a register of the crimes and miseries that man has inflicted on his fellow-man. Washington Irving calendars men history I was always fond of visiting new scenes, and observing strange characters and manners. Even when a mere child I began my travels, and made many tours of discovery into foreign parts and unknown regions of my native city, to the frequent alarm of my parents, and the emolument of the town-crier. Washington Irving character book children When the Gauls laid waste Rome, they found the senators clothed in their robes, and seated in stern tranquillity in their curule chairs; in this manner they suffered death without resistance or supplication. Such conduct was in them applauded as noble and magnanimous; in the hapless Indians it was reviled as both obstinate and sullen. How truly are we the dupes of show and circumstances! How different is virtue, clothed in purple and enthroned in state, from virtue, naked and destitute, and perishing obscurely in a wilderness. Washington Irving purple rome waste Critics are a kind of freebooters in the republic of letters--who, like deer, goats and divers other graminivorous animals, gain subsistence by gorging upon buds and leaves of the young shrubs of the forest, thereby robbing them of their verdure, and retarding their progress to maturity. Washington Irving progress maturity animal
