William Makepeace Thackeray Quotes about Character

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He who meanly admires a mean thing is a snob--perhaps that is a safe definition of the character.

He who meanly admires a mean thing is a snob--perhaps that is a safe definition of the character.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Character, Mean, Safe

What stories are new? All types of all characters march through all fables.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Character, Stories, Fables

William Makepeace Thackeray (1854). “The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family”, p.4

We love being in love, that's the truth on't. If we had not met Joan, we should have met Kate, and adored her. We know our mistresses are no better than many other women, nor no prettier, nor no wiser, nor no wittier. 'Tis not for these reasons we love a woman, or for any special quality or charm I know of; we might as well demand that a lady should be the tallest woman in the world, like the Shropshire giantess, as that she should be a paragon in any other character, before we began to love her.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Love, Character, Should Have

William Makepeace Thackeray (1852). “The history of Henry Esmond, esq”, p.128

Malice is of the boomerang character, and is apt to turn upon the projector.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Character, Boomerang, Malice

If a man's character is to be abused, say what you will, there's nobody like a relative to do the business.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Character, Men, Abuse

'Vanity Fair' (1847-8) ch. 19

Nature has written a letter of credit upon some men's faces that is honored wherever presented. You cannot help trusting such men. Their very presence gives confidence. There is promise to pay in their faces which gives confidence and you prefer it to another man's endorsement. Character is credit.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Character, Men, Giving

As nature made every man with a nose and eyes of his own, she gave him a character of his own, too; and yet we, O foolish race! must try our very best to ape some one or two of our neighbors, whose ideas fit us no more than their breeches!

William Makepeace Thackeray

Eye, Character, Men

William Makepeace Thackeray (1871). “Miscellanies: The Paris sketch book of Mr. M. A. Titmarsh. The memoirs of Mr. Charles J. Yellowplush. The Irish sketch book. Notes of a journey from Cornhill to Grand Cairo”, p.30