Vanity Quotes - Page 17

Pride differs in many things from vanity, and by gradations that never blend, although they may be somewhat indistinguishable. Pride may perhaps be termed a too high opinion of ourselves founded on the overrating of certain qualities that we do actually possess; whereas vanity is more easily satisfied, and can extract a feeling of self-complacency from qualifications that are imaginary.

Curiosity is only vanity. Most frequently we wish not to know, but to talk. We would not take a sea voyage for the sole pleasure of seeing without hope of ever telling.

How vain is painting, which is admired for reproducing the likeness of things whose originals are not admired.

There is no arena in which vanity displays itself under such a variety of forms as in conversation.

Vanity is but the surface.

Aristocracy has three successive ages. First superiority s, then privileges and finally vanities. Having passed from the first, it degenerates in the second and dies in the third.

I guess I'm larger than life. That's my problem.

From that awful encounter of the soul with the outer world, enunciation, wisdom, and charity are born; and with their birth a new life begins. To take into the inmost shrine of the soul the irresistible forces whose puppets we seem to be - Death and change, the irrevocableness of the past, and the powerlessness of Man before the blind hurry of the universe from vanity to vanity - to feel these things and know them is to conquer them.

Scarcely have I ever heard or read the introductory phrase, "I may say without vanity," but some striking and characteristic instance of vanity has immediately followed.

Most people dislike vanity in others, whatever share they have of it themselves; but I give it fair quarter, wherever I meet with it, being persuaded that it is often productive of good to the possessor, and to others who are within his sphere of action: and therefore, in many cases, it would not be altogether absurd if a man were to thank God for his vanity among the other comforts of life.

It is thus superstition infatuates man from his infancy, fills him with vanity, and enslaves him with fanaticism.

Oh, the cares of men! how much emptiness there is in human concerns!

Pride is an established conviction of one’s own paramount worth in some particular respect, while vanity is the desire of rousing such a conviction in others, and it is generally accompanied by the secret hope of ultimately coming to the same conviction oneself. Pride works from within; it is the direct appreciation of oneself. Vanity is the desire to arrive at this appreciation indirectly, from without.

Until the Donkey tried to clear The Fence, he thought himself a Deer.

Those who live on vanity must, not unreasonably, expect to die of mortification.

Be good, be young, be true! Evil is nothing but vanity, let us have the pride of good, and above all let us never despair.

And not a vanity is given in vain.

I have always found that Angels have the vanity to speak of themselves as the only wise.

Meek Nature's evening comment on the shows That for oblivion take their daily birth From all the fuming vanities of earth.

When blessed with wealth, let them withdraw from the competition of vanity and be modest, retiring from ostentation, and not be the slaves of fashion.

There was never yet fair woman but she made mouths in a glass.

Whatever praises itself but in the deed, devours the deed in the praise.

Light vanity, insatiate cormorant, Consuming means, soon preys upon itself.

Vanity may be likened to the smooth-skinned and velvet-footed mouse, nibbling about forever in expectation of a crumb; while self-esteem is too apt to take the likeness of the huge butcher's dog, who carries off your steaks, and growls at you as be goes.

The most common human act that writing a novel resembles is lying. The working novelist lies daily, very complexly, and at great length.