There is a skeleton in every house. William Makepeace Thackeray More Quotes by William Makepeace Thackeray More Quotes From William Makepeace Thackeray Perhaps there is no greater test of a man's regularity and easiness of conscience than his readiness to face the postman. Blessed is he who is made happy by the sound of a rat-tat! The good are eager for it; but the naughty tremble at the sound thereof. William Makepeace Thackeray naughty blessed men Not only is the world informed of everything about you, but of a great deal more. William Makepeace Thackeray gossip deals world How grateful are we--how touched a frank and generous heart is for a kind word extended to us in our pain! The pressure of a tender hand nerves a man for an operation, and cheers him for the dreadful interview with the surgeon. William Makepeace Thackeray gratitude pain cheer The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion; and so let all young persons take their choice. William Makepeace Thackeray glasses reflection men The great quality of Dulness is to be unalterably contented with itself. William Makepeace Thackeray great-qualities contentment quality Malice is of the boomerang character, and is apt to turn upon the projector. William Makepeace Thackeray boomerang malice character Money has only a different value in the eyes of each. William Makepeace Thackeray different-values different eye A woman may possess the wisdom and chastity of Minerva, and we give no heed to her, if she has a plain face. What folly will not a pair of bright eyes make pardonable? What dullness may not red lips are sweet accents render pleasant? And so, with their usual sense of justice, ladies argue that because a woman is handsome, therefore she is a fool. O ladies, ladies! there are some of you who are neither handsome nor wise. William Makepeace Thackeray eye wise sweet A woman with fair opportunities, and without an absolute hump, may marry WHOM SHE LIKES. William Makepeace Thackeray marriage may opportunity Women like not only to conquer, but to be conquered. William Makepeace Thackeray conquer There is no man that can teach us to be gentlemen better than Joseph Addison. William Makepeace Thackeray teach gentleman men I wonder is it because men are cowards in heart that they admire bravery so much, and place military valor so far beyond every other quality for reward and worship. William Makepeace Thackeray military courage heart The tallest and the smallest among us are so alike diminutive and pitifully base, it is a meanness to calculate the difference. William Makepeace Thackeray meanness equality differences If fathers are sometimes sulky at the appearance of the destined son-in-law, is it not a fact that mothers become sentimental and, as it were, love their own loves over again. William Makepeace Thackeray mother father son There are other books in a man's library besides Ovid, and after dawdling ever so long at a woman's knee, one day he gets up and is free. We have all been there; we have all had the fever--the strongest and the smallest, from Samson, Hercules, Rinaldo, downward: but it burns out, and you get well. William Makepeace Thackeray get-well men book Diffidence is a sort of false modesty. William Makepeace Thackeray false-modesty diffidence modesty As if the ray which travels from the sun would reach me sooner than the man who blacks my boots. William Makepeace Thackeray equality rays men To our betters eve can reconcile ourselves, if you please--respecting them sincerely, laughing at their jokes, making allowance for their stupidities, meekly suffering their insolence; but we can't pardon our equals going beyond us. William Makepeace Thackeray envy stupidity laughing A gentleman, is a rarer thing than some of us think for. Which of us can point out many such in his circle--men whose aims are generous, whose truth is constant and elevated; who can look the world honestly in the face, with an equal manly sympathy for the great and the small? We all know a hundred whose coats are well made, and a score who have excellent manners; but of gentlemen how many? Let us take a little scrap of paper, and each make out his list. William Makepeace Thackeray circles men thinking Despair is perfectly compatible with a good dinner, I promise you. William Makepeace Thackeray dinner despair promise