There is this difference between happiness and wisdom; he that thinks himself the happiest man, really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool. Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes by Charles Caleb Colton More Quotes From Charles Caleb Colton What would you do if you knew for sure that no one would ever find out? Charles Caleb Colton wisdom ifs If sensuality be our only happiness we ought to envy the brutes, for instinct is a surer, shorter, safer guide to such happiness than reason. Charles Caleb Colton envy instinct reason Sensibility would be a good portress if she had but one hand; with her right she opens the door to pleasure, but with her left to pain. Charles Caleb Colton pain doors hands Self-love, in a well-regulated breast, is as the steward of the household, superintending the expenditure, and seeing that benevolence herself should be prudential, in order to be permanent, by providing that the reservoir which feeds should also be fed. Charles Caleb Colton should self order He who knows himself knows others. Charles Caleb Colton self-examination knows A man's profundity may keep him from opening on a first interview, and his caution on a second; but I should suspect his emptiness, if he carried on his reserve to a third. Charles Caleb Colton silence may men Some are cursed with the fullness of satiety; and how can they bear the ills of life when its very pleasures fatigue them? Charles Caleb Colton fullness pleasure bears Some well-meaning Christians tremble for their salvation, because they have never gone through that valley of tears and of sorrow, which they have been taught to consider as an ordeal that must be passed through before they can arrive at regeneration. To satisfy such minds, it may be observed, that the slightest sorrow for sin is sufficient, if it produce amendment, and that the greatest is insufficient, if it do not. Charles Caleb Colton sorrow christian mind Our incomes should be like our shoes, if too small, they will gall and pinch us, but if too large, they will cause us to stumble and to trip. Wealth, after all, is a relative thing, since he that has little and wants less is richer than he that has much but wants more. True contentment depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Diogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander. Charles Caleb Colton income shoes contentment Religion, like its votaries, while it exists on earth, must have a body as well as a soul. A religion purely spiritual might suit a being as pure, but men are compound animals; and the body too often lords it over the mind. Charles Caleb Colton spiritual animal men Villains are usually the worst casuists, and rush into crimes to avoid less. Henry VIII. committed murder to avoid the imputation of adultery; and in our times, those who commit the latter crime attempt to wash off the stain of seducing the wife by signifying their readiness to shoot the husband. Charles Caleb Colton adultery wife husband There are too many who reverse both the principles and the practice of the Apostles; they become all things to all men, not to serve others, but themselves; and they try all things only to hold fast that which is bad. Charles Caleb Colton practice trying men Law and equity are two things which God has joined, but which man has put asunder. Charles Caleb Colton god law men Patience is the support of weakness; impatience the ruin of strength. Charles Caleb Colton support strength patience The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility. Charles Caleb Colton time inspiring inspirational I'm aiming by the time I'm fifty to stop being an adolescent. Charles Caleb Colton age fifty funny Power will intoxicate the best hearts, as wine the strongest heads. No man is wise enough, nor good enough to be trusted with unlimited power. Charles Caleb Colton wine wise heart Many books require no thought from those who read them, and for a very simple reason; they made no such demand upon those who wrote them. Charles Caleb Colton reading writing book There is a diabolical trio existing in the natural man, implacable, inextinguishable, co-operative and consentaneous, pride, envy, and hate; pride that makes us fancy we deserve all the goods that others possess; envy that some should be admired while we are overlooked; and hate, because all that is bestowed on others, diminishes the sum we think due to ourselves. Charles Caleb Colton hate pride men The reason why great men meet with so little pity or attachment in adversity, would seem to be this: the friends of a great man were made by his fortune, his enemies by himself, and revenge is a much more punctual paymaster than gratitude. Charles Caleb Colton gratitude adversity revenge
