William Hazlitt (1778 – 1830)
English writer remembered for his humanistic essays and literary criticism.
Even in the common affairs of life, in love, friendship, and marriage, how little security have we when we trust our happiness in the hands of others!
Great thoughts reduced to practice become great acts.
Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are, and what they ought to be.
Well, I've had a happy life.
Horus non numero nisi serenas (I count only the hours that are serene.) is the motto of a sundial near Venice. There is a softness and a harmony in the words and in the thought unparalleled.
Grace has been defined the outward expression of the inward harmony of the soul.
Some one is generally sure to be the sufferer by a joke.
It is strange that people should take so much interest at one time in what they so soon forget; — the truth is, they feel no interest in it [news of the day] at any time, but it does for something to talk about. Their ideas are served up to them, like their bill of fare, for the day; and the whole creation, history, war, politics, morals, poetry, metaphysics, is to them like a file of antedated newspapers, of no use, not even for reference, except the one which lies on the table! You cannot take any of these persons at a greater disadvantage than before they are provided with their cue for the day. They ask with a face of dreary vacuity, 'Have you anything new?' — and on receiving an answer in the negative, have nothing further to say.
Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own.
A scholar is like a book written in a dead language — it is not every one that can read in it.
He talked on for ever; and you wished him to talk on for ever.
Zeal will do more than knowledge.
Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.
Corporate bodies are more corrupt and profligate than individuals, because they have more power to do mischief, and are less amenable to disgrace or punishment. They feel neither shame, remorse, gratitude, nor goodwill.
The least pain in our little finger gives us more concern and uneasiness, than the destruction of millions of our fellow-beings.
Learning is, in too many cases, but a foil to common sense; a substitute for true knowledge.
His manners are to 99 in 100 singularly repulsive --; brow-hanging, shoe-contemplative, strange. [...] he is, I verily believe, kindly-nature; is very of, attentive to, and patient with children; but he is jealous, gloomy, and of an irritable pride -- and addicted to women, as objects of sexual indulgence.
Cunning is the art of concealing our own defects, and discovering other people's weaknesses.
Those who can command themselves, command others.
He who would see old Hoghton right
Must view it by the pale moonlight.