William Makepeace Thackeray Quotes about Life

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Life is a mirror: if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting.

Life is a mirror: if you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Mirrors, Return

Successful people aren't born that way. They become successful by establishing the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don't like to do. The successful people don't always like these things themselves; they just get on and do them.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Successful, People

To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Love, Life, Relationship

William Makepeace Thackeray (1850). “The History of Pendennis: His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and His Greatest Enemy”, p.9

No particular motive for living, except the custom and habit of it.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Habit, Motive

"Thackeray and his Novels" by William Makepeace Thackeray, Blackwood's Mag, January 1854.

It is best to love wisely, no doubt; but to love foolishly is better than not to be able to love at all.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Love, Life, Dream

The History of Pendennis ch. 6 (1848 - 1850)

Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields, or if it beats you sometimes, dare it again and you will succeed.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Success, Men

Sir, Respect Your Dinner: idolize it, enjoy it properly. You will be many hours in the week, many weeks in the year, and many years in your life happier if you do.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Years, Dinner

William Makepeace Thackeray (1889). “The Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray: With Illustrations by the Author, and with Introductory Notes Setting Forth the History of the Several Works in Twenty-two Volumes”

Then sing as Martin Luther sang, As Doctor Martin Luther sang, "Who loves not wine, woman and song, He is a fool his whole life long."

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Song, Women

William Makepeace Thackeray (1870). “Miscellanies: Catherine. Titmarsch among pictures and books. Fraser miscellanies. Christmas books. Ballads”, p.574

The true pleasure of life is to live with your inferiors.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Pleasure, Inferiors

William Makepeace Thackeray (1854). “The Newcomes : memoirs of a most respectable family”, p.167

Might I give counsel to any man, I would say to him, try to frequent the company of your betters. In books and in life, that is the most wholesome society; learn to admire rightly; the great pleasure of life is that. Note what great men admire.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Leadership, Book

William Makepeace Thackeray (1869). “The four Georges. The English humorists. Roundabout papers”, p.148

Our great thoughts, our great affections, the truths of our life, never leave us. Surely they can not separate from our consciousness, shall follow it whithersoever that shall go, and are of their nature divine and immortal.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Life, Divinity, Affection

William Makepeace Thackeray (2014). “Henry Esmond: The English Humourists; The Four Georges”, p.341, Simon and Schuster