That strange premature genius Chatterton has couched in one line the quintessence of what Voltaire has said in many pages: "Reason, a thorn in Revelation's side. Horace Walpole More Quotes by Horace Walpole More Quotes From Horace Walpole The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well. Horace Walpole learning secret life Life is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel. Horace Walpole atheist wisdom life Who has begun has half done. Have the courage to be wise. Begin! Horace Walpole done half wise This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel. Horace Walpole failure love thinking We are largely the playthings of our fears. To one, fear of the dark; to another, of physical pain; to a third, of public ridicule; to a fourth, of poverty; to a fifth, of loneliness ... for all of us, our particular creature waits in ambush. Horace Walpole pain loneliness fear Nine-tenths of the people were created so you would want to be with the other tenth. Horace Walpole ghouls life funny I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel - a solution of why Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept. Horace Walpole tragedy world thinking Foolish writers and readers are created for each other. Horace Walpole reader foolish History is a romance that is believed; romance, a history that is not believed. Horace Walpole romance political Mystery is the wisdom of blockheads. Horace Walpole blockheads mystery It is difficult to divest one's self of vanity; because impossible to divest one's self of self-love. Horace Walpole vanity self impossible I know that I have had friends who would never have vexed or betrayed me, if they had walked on all fours. Horace Walpole betrayed dog friendship To act with common sense according to the moment, is the best wisdom I know. Horace Walpole common-sense moments wisdom Justice is rather the activity of truth, than a virtue in itself. Truth tells us what is due to others, and justice renders that due. Injustice is acting a lie. Horace Walpole truth justice lying When people will not weed their own minds, they are apt to be overrun by nettles. Horace Walpole weed garden people Virtue knows to a farthing what it has lost by not having been vice. Horace Walpole virtue vices lost Cunning is neither the consequence of sense, nor does it give sense. A proof that it is not sense, is that cunning people never imagine that others can see through them. It is the consequence of weakness. Horace Walpole weakness giving people He was persuaded he could know no happiness but in the society of one with whom he could for ever indulge the melancholy that had taken possession of his soul. Horace Walpole melancholy taken soul The contempt of money is no more a virtue than to wash one's hand is one; but one does not willingly shake hands with a man that never washes his. Horace Walpole money men hands It is charming to totter into vogue. Horace Walpole vogue charming age