Taking things not as they ought to be, but as they are, I fear it must be allowed that Macchiavelli will always have more disciples than Jesus. Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes by Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes From Charles Caleb Colton There is this paradox in fear: he is most likely to inspire it in others who has none himself! Charles Caleb Colton paradox fear inspire That profound firmness which enabler a man to regard difficulties but as evils to be surmounted, no matter what shape they may assume. Charles Caleb Colton evil men profound We must suit the flattery to the mind and taste of the recipient. We do not put essences into hogsheads, nor porter into phials. Delicate minds may be disgusted by compliments that would please a grosser intellect; as some fine ladies who would be shocked at the idea of a dram will not refuse a liqueur. Charles Caleb Colton essence mind ideas A fool is often as dangerous to deal with as a knave, and always more incorrigible. Charles Caleb Colton knaves fool dangerous He that openly tells, his friends all that he thinks of them, must expect that they will secretly tell his enemies much that they do not think of him. Charles Caleb Colton frankness enemy thinking The only kind office performed for us by our friends of which we never complain is our funeral; and the only thing which we most want, happens to be the only thing we never purchase--our coffin. Charles Caleb Colton funeral office complaining It has been well observed that we should treat futurity as an aged friend from whom we expect a rich legacy. Charles Caleb Colton rich legacy should If that marvellous microcosm, man, with all the costly cargo of his faculties and powers, were indeed a rich argosy, fitted out and freighted only for shipwreck and destruction, who amongst us that tolerate the present only from the hope of the future, who that have any aspirings of a high and intellectual nature about them, could be brought to submit to the disgusting mortifications of the voyage? Charles Caleb Colton future intellectual men Gaming has been resorted to by the affluent as a refuge from ennui. It is a mental dram, and may succeed for a moment; but, like all other stimuli, it produces indirect debility. Charles Caleb Colton gambling succeed may Gaming is the child of avarice, but the parent of prodigality. Charles Caleb Colton gambling parent children Neither can we admit that definition of genius that some would propose--"a power to accomplish all that we undertake;" for we might multiply examples to prove that this definition of genius contains more than the thing defined. Cicero failed in poetry, Pope in painting, Addison in oratory; yet it would be harsh to deny genius to these men. Charles Caleb Colton example would-be men The road to glory would cease to be arduous if it were trite and trodden; and great minds must be ready not only to take opportunities but to make them. Charles Caleb Colton glory mind opportunity There are two things which ought to teach us to think but meanly of human glory; the very best have had their calumniators, the very worst their panegyrists. Charles Caleb Colton glory two thinking Falsehood, like a drawing in perspective, will not bear to be examined in every point of view, because it is a good imitation of truth, as a perspective is of the reality, only in one. But truth, like that reality of which the perspective is the representation, will bear to be scrutinized in all points of view, and though examined under every situation, is one and the same. Charles Caleb Colton drawing views reality It is sufficiently humiliating to our nature to reflect that our knowledge is but as she rivulet, our ignorance as the sea. On points of the highest interest, the moment we quit the light of revelation we shall find that Platonism itself is intimately connected with Pyrrhonism, and the deepest inquiry with the darkest doubt. Charles Caleb Colton light ignorance faith The enthusiast has been compared to a man walking in a fog; everything immediately around him, or in contact with him, appears sufficiently clear and luminous; but beyond the little circle of which he himself is the centre, all is mist and error and confusion. Charles Caleb Colton circles errors men As the rays of the sun, notwithstanding their velocity, injure not the eye, by reason of their minuteness, so the attacks of envy, notwithstanding their number, ought not to wound our virtue by reason of their insignificance. Charles Caleb Colton envy eye numbers Emulation looks out for merits, that she may exalt herself by a victory; envy spies out blemishes that she may lower another by defeat. Charles Caleb Colton spy envy victory The hate which we all bear with the most Christian patience is the hate of those who envy us. Charles Caleb Colton envy hate christian The praise of the envious is far less creditable than their censure; they praise only that which they can surpass, but that which surpasses them they censure. Charles Caleb Colton envious envy praise
