Charles Caleb Colton Quotes - Page 2

• When you have nothing to say, say nothing.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Teaching, Silence, Statistics

  'Lacon' (1820) vol. 1, no. 183

  10 Copy quote

• Deliberate with caution, but act with decision and yield with graciousness, or oppose with firmness.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Funny, Sarcastic, Yield

  Charles Caleb COLTON (1849). “L.P.”, p.157

  39 Copy quote

• An act by which we make one friend and one enemy is a losing game; because revenge is a much stronger principle than gratitude

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Gratitude, Revenge, Games

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.60

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• It is easier to pretend to be what you are not than to hide what you really are; but he that can accomplish both has little to learn in hypocrisy.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Hypocrisy, Littles, Easier

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.150

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• I have somewhere seen it observed that we should make the same use of a book that the bee does of a flower: she steals sweets from it, but does not injure it.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Sweet, Flower, Book

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.232

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• Men are born with two eyes, but with one tongue, in order that they should see twice as much as they say.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Clever, Eye, Men

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.69

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• Ladies of Fashion starve their happiness to feed their vanity, and their love to feed their pride.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Fashion, Pride, Clothes

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.454

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• He that is good will infallibly become better, and he that is bad will as certainly become worse; for vice, virtue, and time are three things that never stand still.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Wisdom, Progress, Three Things

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.214

  15 Copy quote

• Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Education, Teaching, Knowledge

  'Lacon' (1820) vol. 1, no. 322

  14 Copy quote

• He that swells in prosperity will be sure to shrink in adversity.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Adversity, Prosperity, Shrinks

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• Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity himself, than straight forward and simple integrity in another.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Truth, Honesty, Integrity

  "Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think".

  104 Copy quote

• The poorest man would not part with health for money, but the richest would gladly part with all their money for health.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Health, Men, Poverty

  Lacon Vol. I, Ch. 225

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• What would you do if you knew for sure that no one would ever find out?

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Wisdom, Ifs

  5 Copy quote

• War is a game in which princes seldom win, the people never.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  War, Winning, Games

  Philip Dormer Stanhope (4th earl of Chesterfield.), Charles Caleb Colton (1861). “Lord Chesterfield's advice to his son on men and manners. To which are added, selections from Colton's 'Lacon'.”, p.246

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• Men's arguments often prove nothing but their wishes.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Men, Wish, Argument

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• In life we shall find many men that are great, and some that are good, but very few men that are both great and good.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Greatness, Men

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.69

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• We are sure to be losers when we quarrel with ourselves; it is civil war.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Self Esteem, War, Loser

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.189

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• There is nothing more imprudent than excessive prudence.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Literature, Prudence

  7 Copy quote

• Some read to think, these are rare; some to write, these are common; and some read to talk, and these form the great majority.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Book, Reading, Writing

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.235

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• Silence is less injurious than a weak reply.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Silence, Argument, Weak

  8 Copy quote

• There are three kinds of praise, that which we yield, that which we lend, and that which we pay. We yield it to the powerful from fear, we lend it to the weak from interest, and we pay it to the deserving from gratitude.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Gratitude, Powerful, Yield

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.188

  9 Copy quote

• God is as great in minuteness as He is in magnitude.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  God, Magnitude

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• Bed is a bundle of paradoxes: we go to it with reluctance, yet we quit it with regret.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Regret, Sleep, Insomnia

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”

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• I have found by experience that they who have spent all their lives in cities, improve their talents but impair their virtues; and strengthen their minds but weaken their morals.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Cities, Mind, Moral

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• Grant graciously what you cannot refuse safely and conciliate those you cannot conquer.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Conquer, Negotiation, Grants

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.187

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