Modesty is the lowest of the virtues, and is a real confession of the deficiency it indicates. He who undervalues himself is justly undervalued by others. William Hazlitt More Quotes by William Hazlitt More Quotes From William Hazlitt That humanity and sincerity which dispose men to resist injustice and tyranny render them unfit to cope with the cunning and power of those who are opposed to them. The friends of liberty trust to the professions of others because they are themselves sincere, and endeavour to secure the public good with the least possible hurt to its enemies, who have no regard to anything but their own unprincipled ends, and stick at nothing to accomplish them. William Hazlitt humanity hurt men Wit is the rarest quality to be met with among people of education, and the most common among the uneducated. William Hazlitt quality common people As a general rule, those who are dissatisfied with themselves will seek to go out of themselves into an ideal world. Persons in strong health and spirits, who take plenty of air and exercise, who are "in favor with, their stars," and have a thorough relish of the good things of this life, seldom devote themselves in despair to religion or the muses. Sedentary, nervous, hypochondriacal people, on the contrary, are forced, for want of an appetite for the real and substantial, to look out for a more airy food and speculative comforts. William Hazlitt stars strong real To speak highly of one with whom we are intimate is a species of egotism. Our modesty as well as our jealousy teaches us caution on this subject. William Hazlitt intimate modesty speak The truly proud man knows neither superiors or inferiors. The first he does not admit of - the last he does not concern himself about. William Hazlitt proud doe men A certain excess of animal spirits with thoughtless good-humor will often make more enemies than the most deliberate spite and ill-nature, which is on its guard, and strikes with caution and safety. William Hazlitt safety animal enemy What passes in the world for talent or dexterity or enterprise is often only a want of moral principle. We may succeed where others fail, not from a greater share of invention, but from not being nice in the choice of expedients. William Hazlitt nice choices principles Good temper is one of the great preservers of the features. William Hazlitt features temper Envy is the most universal passion. We only pride ourselves on the qualities we possess, or think we possess; but we envy the pretensions we have, and those which we have not, and do not even wish for. We envy the greatest qualities and every trifling advantage. We envy the most ridiculous appearance or affectation of superiority. We envy folly and conceit; nay, we go so far as to envy whatever confers distinction of notoriety, even vice and infamy. William Hazlitt passion pride thinking Mankind are so ready to bestow their admiration on the dead, because the latter do not hear it, or because it gives no pleasure to the objects of it. Even fame is the offspring of envy. William Hazlitt admiration envy giving A scholar is like a book written in a dead language. It is not every one that can read in it. William Hazlitt scholar language book Experience makes us wise. William Hazlitt experience wise To-day kings, to-marrow beggars, it is only when they are themselves that they are nothing. William Hazlitt beggar acting kings Books wind into the heart. William Hazlitt heart wind book No man would, I think, exchange his existence with any other man, however fortunate. We had as lief not be, as not be ourselves. William Hazlitt self men thinking Persons of slender intellectual stamina dread competition, as dwarfs are afraid of being run over in the street. William Hazlitt competition stupidity running Learning is the knowledge of that which none but the learned know. William Hazlitt scholarship knows Though familiarity may not breed contempt, it takes off the edge of admiration. William Hazlitt admiration idols may Those who are fond of setting things to rights, have no great objection to seeing them wrong. William Hazlitt settings reform rights To be happy, we must be true to nature and carry our age along with us. William Hazlitt age time birthday
