Charles Caleb Colton Quotes - Page 27

• The society of dead authors has this advantage over that of the living: they never flatter us to our faces, nor slander us behind our backs, nor intrude upon our privacy, nor quit their shelves until we take them down.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Writing, Faces, Privacy

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.158

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• Of present fame think little, and of future less; the praises that we receive after we are buried, like the flowers that are strewed over our grave, may be gratifying to the living, but they are nothing to the dead.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Flower, Thinking, May

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• He that openly tells, his friends all that he thinks of them, must expect that they will secretly tell his enemies much that they do not think of him.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Thinking, Enemy, Frankness

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.90

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• The cynic who twitted Aristippus by observing that the philosopher who could dine on herbs might despise the company of a king, was well replied to by Aristippus, when he remarked that the philosopher who could enjoy the company or a king might also despise a dinner of herbs.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Kings, Dinner, Might

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.134

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• Revenge is a debt, in the paying of which the greatest knave is honest and sincere, and, so far as he is able, punctual.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Revenge, Debt, Knaves

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.124

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• When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into vice, none appear to do so. He that stops first, views as from a fixed point the horrible extravagance that transports the rest.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Running, Moving, Views

  Charles Caleb Colton (1828). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words Addressed to Those who Think”, p.39

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• If that marvellous microcosm, man, with all the costly cargo of his faculties and powers, were indeed a rich argosy, fitted out and freighted only for shipwreck and destruction, who amongst us that tolerate the present only from the hope of the future, who that have any aspirings of a high and intellectual nature about them, could be brought to submit to the disgusting mortifications of the voyage?

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Future, Men, Intellectual

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

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• Neither can we admit that definition of genius that some would propose--"a power to accomplish all that we undertake;" for we might multiply examples to prove that this definition of genius contains more than the thing defined. Cicero failed in poetry, Pope in painting, Addison in oratory; yet it would be harsh to deny genius to these men.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Men, Example, Would Be

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.196

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• Death is the liberator of him whom freedom cannot release, the physician of him whom medicine cannot cure, and the comforter of him whom time cannot console.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Death, Medicine, Physicians

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

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• We must suit the flattery to the mind and taste of the recipient. We do not put essences into hogsheads, nor porter into phials. Delicate minds may be disgusted by compliments that would please a grosser intellect; as some fine ladies who would be shocked at the idea of a dram will not refuse a liqueur.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Essence, Ideas, Mind

  Charles Caleb Colton (1821). “Lacon: or, Many things in few words”, p.190

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• Custom is the law of one description of fools, and fashion of another; but the two parties often clash--for precedent is the legislator of the first, and novelty of the last. Custom, therefore, looks to things that are past, and fashion to things that are present.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Fashion, Party, Past

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

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• To be a mere verbal critic is what no man of genius would be if he could; but to be a critic of true taste and feeling is what no man without genius could be if he would.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Men, Feelings, Would Be

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.386

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• In science, reason is the guide; in poetry, taste. The object of the one is truth, which is uniform and indivisible; the object of the other is beauty, which is multiform and varied.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Science, Uniforms, Taste

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• No two things differ more than hurry and despatch. Hurry is the mark of a weak mind; despatch of a strong one.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Strong, Two, Mind

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.176

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• "Lawyers Are": The only civil delinquents whose judges must of necessity be chosen from (amongst) themselves.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Judging, Lawyer, Chosen

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• Metaphysicians have been learning their lessons for the last four thousand years, and it is high time that they should now begin to teach us something. Can any of the tribe inform us why all the operations of the mind are carried on with undiminished strength and activity in dreams, except the judgment, which alone is suspended and dormant?

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Dream, Years, Mind

  Charles Caleb Colton (1828). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words Addressed to Those who Think”, p.188

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• Criticism is like champagne, nothing more execrable if bad, nothing more excellent if good; if meagre, muddy, vapid and sour, both are fit only to engender colic and wind; but if rich, generous and sparkling, they communicate a genial glow to the spirits, improve the taste, and expand the heart.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Heart, Wind, Criticism

  Charles Caleb Colton (1866). “Lacon: or, Many things in few words”, p.55

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• The science of mathematics performs more than it promises, but the science of metaphysics promises more than it performs.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Promise, Mathematics, Metaphysics

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.164

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• To look back to antiquity is one thing, to go back to it is another.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Time, Past, Looks

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

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• The science of legislation is like that of medicine in one respect: that it is far more easy to point out what will do harm than what will do good.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Medicine, Easy, Legislation

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.219

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• There are two metals, one of which is omnipotent in the cabinet, and the other in the camp--gold and iron. He that knows how to apply them both may indeed attain the highest station.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Two, Iron, Gold

  Charles Caleb Colton (1821). “Lacon: or, Many things in few words”, p.161

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• A lady of fashion will sooner excuse a freedom flowing from admiration than a slight resulting from indifference.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Fashion, Admiration, Indifference

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• There are two modes of establishing our reputation; to be praised by honest men, and to be abused by rogues.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Men, Two, Rogues

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.115

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• Five thousand years have added no improvement to the hive of the bee, nor to the house of the beaver; but look at the habitations and the achievements of men!

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Men, Years, House

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.289

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• None of us are so much praised or censured as we think.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Thinking, Vanity

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.216

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