Man is an embodied paradox, a bundle of contradictions. Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes by Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes From Charles Caleb Colton He that gives a portion of his time and talent to the investigation of mathematical truth, will come to all other questions with a decided advantage over his opponents. Charles Caleb Colton opponentstalentgiving The hand that unnerved Belshazzar derived its most horrifying influence from the want of a body, and death itself is not formidable in what we do know of it, but in what we do not. Charles Caleb Colton bodydeathhands Death is like thunder in two particulars; we are alarmed, at the sound of it; and it is formidable only from that which preceded it. Charles Caleb Colton soundtwodeath Modesty is the richest ornament of a woman ... the want of it is her greatest deformity. Charles Caleb Colton ornamentswomenwant False reasoners are often best confuted by giving them the full swing of their own absurdities. Charles Caleb Colton swingsreasongiving Duke Chartres used to boast that no man could have less real value for character than himself, yet he would gladly give twenty thousand pounds for a good one, because he could immediately make double that sum by means of it. Charles Caleb Colton realcharactermean Accustom yourself to submit on all and every occasion, and on the most minute, no less than on the most important circumstances of life, to a small present evil, to obtain a greater distant good. This will give decision, tone, and energy to the mind, which, thus disciplined, will often reap victory from defeat and honor from repulse. Charles Caleb Colton decisionevilgiving Sir Richard Steele has observed, that there is this difference between the Church of Rome and the Church of England: the one professes to be infallible, the other to be never in the wrong. Charles Caleb Colton romeatheismdifferences He that swells in prosperity will be sure to shrink in adversity. Charles Caleb Colton shrinksprosperityadversity There are some who write, talk, and think, so much about vice and virtue, that they have no time to practice either the one or the other. Charles Caleb Colton practicewritingthinking All wars of interference, arising from an officious intrusion into the concerns of other states; all wars of ambition, carried on for the purposes of aggrandizement; and all wars of aggression, undertaken for the purpose of forcing an assent to this or that set of religious opinions; all such wars are criminal in their very outset, and have hypocrisy for their common base. Charles Caleb Colton ambitionreligiouswar When the air balloon was first discovered, some one flippantly asked Dr. Franklin what was the use of it. The doctor answered this question by asking another: "What is the use of a new-born infant? It may become a man." Charles Caleb Colton doctorsairmen Honesty is not only the deepest policy, but the highest wisdom; since, however difficult it may be for integrity to get on, it is a thousand times more difficult for knavery to get off; and no error is more fatal than that of those who think that Virtue has no other reward because they have heard that she is her own. Charles Caleb Colton honestyintegritythinking Discretion has been termed the better part of valour, and it is more certain, that diffidence is the better part of knowledge. Charles Caleb Colton diffidencehas-beenscertain Drunkenness is the vice of a good constitution or of a bad memory of a constitution so treacherously good that it never bends till it breaks; or of a memory that recollects the pleasures of getting intoxicated, but forgets the pains of getting sober. Charles Caleb Colton painvicesmemories There is one passage in the Scriptures to which all the potentates of Europe seem to have given their unanimous assent and approbation...."There went out a decree in the days of Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed." Charles Caleb Colton atheismeuropeworld When a man has displayed talent in some particular path, and left all competitors behind him in it, the world are too apt to give him credit for universality of genius, and to anticipate for him success in all that he undertakes. Charles Caleb Colton geniusgivingmen We shall at all times chance upon men of recondite acquirements, but whose qualifications, from the incommunicative and inactive habits of their owners, are as utterly useless to others as though the possessors had them not. Charles Caleb Colton uselesschancemen To be continually subject to the breath of slander, will tarnish the purest virtue, as a constant exposure to the atmosphere will obscure the brightness of the finest gold; but in either case, the real value of both continues the same, although the currency may be somewhat impeded. Charles Caleb Colton atmosphererealgold 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
