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William Hazlitt Quotes - Page 12

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Every man, in his own opinion, forms an exception to the ordinary rules of morality.

Every man, in his own opinion, forms an exception to the ordinary rules of morality.

William Hazlitt
Men, Ordinary, Ethics
William Hazlitt (1837). “Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].”, p.109

We find many things to which the prohibition of them constitutes the only temptation.

William Hazlitt
Temptation, Liberty, Libertarian
William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1484, Delphi Classics

Persons of slender intellectual stamina dread competition, as dwarfs are afraid of being run over in the street.

William Hazlitt
Running, Stupidity, Competition
William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1467, Delphi Classics

When we forget old friends, it is a sign we have forgotten ourselves.

William Hazlitt
Old Friends, Forget, Forgotten
William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1486, Delphi Classics

Spleen can subsist on any kind of food.

William Hazlitt
Anger, Kind, Spleen
William Hazlitt (1848). “The Miscellaneous Works”, p.23

Reflection makes men cowards.

William Hazlitt
Reflection, Men, Coward
William Hazlitt (1837). “Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].”, p.86

True modesty and true pride are much the same thing: both consist in setting a just value on ourselves - neither more nor less.

William Hazlitt
Pride, Modesty, Settings
William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1481, Delphi Classics

Vulgar prejudices are those which arise out of accident, ignorance, or authority; natural prejudices are those which arise out of the constitution of the human mind itself.

William Hazlitt
Ignorance, Mind, Prejudice
William Hazlitt (1837). “Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].”, p.56

Happy are they who live in the dream of their own existence, and see all things in the light of their own minds; who walk by faith and hope; to whom the guiding star of their youth still shines from afar, and into whom the spirit of the world has not entered! They have not been "hurt by the archers", nor has the iron entered their souls. The world has no hand on them.

William Hazlitt
Dream, Hurt, Stars
William Hazlitt (1930). “The Complete Works of William Hazlitt”, Toronto, Dent

Hope is the best possession. None are completely wretched but those who are without hope. Few are reduced so low as that.

William Hazlitt
Hope, Lows, Hoping For The Best
William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1468, Delphi Classics

To display the greatest powers, unless they are applied to great purposes, makes nothing for the character of greatness.

William Hazlitt
Character, Greatness, Purpose
William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1105, Delphi Classics

Learning is the knowledge of that which none but the learned know.

William Hazlitt
Scholarship, Knows
William Hazlitt (1821). “Table-talk: Or Original Essays”, p.167

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
Strong, Stars, Real

Many a man would have turned rogue if he knew how.

William Hazlitt
Men, Rogues, Ifs

In love we do not think of moral qualities, and scarcely of intellectual ones. Temperament and manner alone, with beauty, excite love.

William Hazlitt
Thinking, Intellectual, Quality
William Hazlitt (1837). “Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].”, p.84

Diffidence and awkwardness are antidotes to love.

William Hazlitt
Antidote, Diffidence, Awkwardness

Familiarity confounds all traits of distinction; interest and prejudice take away the power of judging.

William Hazlitt
Justice, Judging, Prejudice
William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1341, Delphi Classics

The most rational cure after all for the inordinate fear of death is to set a just value on life.

William Hazlitt
Death, Dying, Cures
Table Talk 'On the Fear of Death'

In exploring new and doubtful tracts of speculation, the mind strikes out true and original views; as a drop of water hesitates at first what direction it will take, but afterwards follows its own course.

William Hazlitt
Views, Water, Mind
William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.2095, Delphi Classics

That which anyone has been long learning unwillingly, he unlearns with proportional eagerness and haste.

William Hazlitt
Education, Teaching, Long

One truth discovered is immortal, and entitles its author to be so; for, like a new substance in nature, it cannot be destroyed.

William Hazlitt
Truth, Substance, Immortal
William Hazlitt (1848). “The Miscellaneous Works”, p.16

Society is a more level surface than we imagine. Wise men or absolute fools are hard to be met with, as there are few giants or dwarfs. The heaviest charge we can bring against the general texture of society is that it is commonplace. Our fancied superiority to others is in some one thing which we think most of because we excel in it, or have paid most attention to it; whilst we overlook their superiority to us in something else which they set equal and exclusive store by.

William Hazlitt
Wise, Men, Thinking

One truth discovered, one pang of regret at not being able to express it, is better than all the fluency and flippancy in the world.

William Hazlitt
Truth, Regret, World
William Hazlitt, Edward Bulwer Lytton Baron Lytton, Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd, Charles Lamb (1836). “Literary Remains of the Late William Hazlitt: With Notice of His Life”, p.284

By conversing with the mighty dead, we imbibe sentiment with knowledge. We become strongly attached to those who can no longer either hurt or serve us, except through the influence which they exert over the mind. We feel the presence of that power which gives immortality to human thoughts and actions, and catch the flame of enthusiasm from all nations and ages.

William Hazlitt
Hurt, Reading, Flames
William Hazlitt, Herschel Moreland Sikes, William Hallam Bonner, Gerald Lahey (1979). “The Letters of William Hazlitt”, p.224, Springer

If a person has no delicacy, he has you in his power.

William Hazlitt
Power, Delicacy, Persons
William Hazlitt, Edward George Earle Lytten Butwer-Lytton Lyton (1st baron), Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd (1836). “Essays: On self-love. On the conduct of life: or, Advice to a school-boy. On the fine arts. The fight. On want of money. On the feeling of immortality in youth. The main-chance. The opera. Of persons one would wish to have seen. My first acquaintance with poets. The shyness of scholors. The Vatican. On the spirit of monarchy”, p.258

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