William Hazlitt Quotes - Page 19

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The humblest painter is a true scholar; and the best of scholars the scholar of nature.

William Hazlitt

Painter, Scholar

William Hazlitt (1844). “Criticisms on Art”, p.11

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Every man, in judging of himself, is his own contemporary. He may feel the gale of popularity, but he cannot tell how long it will last. His opinion of himself wants distance, wants time, wants numbers, to set it off and confirm it.

William Hazlitt

Distance, Men, Numbers

William Hazlitt (1845). “Table Talk: Opinions on Books, Men, and Things”, p.38

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Every man depends on the quantity of sense, wit, or good manners he brings into society for the reception he meets with in it.

William Hazlitt

Men, Good Man, Society

William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1227, Delphi Classics

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Good temper is one of the great preservers of the features.

William Hazlitt

Temper, Features

"The Complete Works of William Hazlitt".

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To the proud the slightest repulse or disappointment is the last indignity.

William Hazlitt

Disappointment, Proud, Lasts

William Hazlitt (1871). “The Round Table. A collection of Essays ... By W. H. and Leigh Hunt”, p.473

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The fear of punishment may be necessary to the suppression of vice; but it also suspends the finer motives of virtue.

William Hazlitt

Punishment, Vices, May

William Hazlitt (1837). “Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].”, p.55

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The soul of dispatch is decision.

William Hazlitt

Decision, Soul

William Hazlitt (1859). “Table talk”, p.141

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When we hear complaints of the wretchedness or vanity of human life, the proper answer to them would be that there is hardly any one who at some point or other has not been in love. If we consider the high abstraction of this feeling, its depth, its purity, its voluptuous refinement, even in the meanest breast, how sacred and how sweet it is, this alone may reconcile us to the lot of humanity. That drop of balm turns the bitter cup to a delicious nectar.

William Hazlitt

Love, Sweet, Vanity

William Hazlitt (1871). “The Round Table. A collection of Essays ... By W. H. and Leigh Hunt”, p.507

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There are some persons who never succeed from being too indolent to undertake anything; and others who regularly fail, because the instant they find success in their power, they grow indifferent, and give over the attempt.

William Hazlitt

Giving, Succeed, Failing

William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1518, Delphi Classics

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The difference between the vanity of a Frenchman and an Englishman seems to be this: the one thinks everything right that is French, the other thinks everything wrong that is not English.

William Hazlitt

Thinking, Vanity, Differences

William Hazlitt (1837). “Characteristics: in the manner of Rochefoucault's Maxims [by W. Hazlitt].”, p.119

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A felon could plead "benefit of clergy" and be saved by [reading aloud] what was aptly enough termed the "neck verse", which was very usually the Miserere mei of Psalm 51.

William Hazlitt

Book, Reading, Benefits

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Conceit is vanity driven from all other shifts, and forced to appeal to itself for admiration.

William Hazlitt

Vanity, Admiration, Driven

William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1481, Delphi Classics

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They are the only honest hypocrites, their life is a voluntary dream, a studied madness.

William Hazlitt

Dream, Hypocrite, Acting

William Hazlitt (1871). “The Round Table. A collection of Essays ... By W. H. and Leigh Hunt”, p.218

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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.

William Hazlitt

Gratitude, Punishment, Body

William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1292, Delphi Classics

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Knowledge is pleasure as well as power.

William Hazlitt

Pleasure, Wells

William Hazlitt (1821). “Table-talk: Or Original Essays”, p.32

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A full-dressed ecclesiastic is a sort of go-cart of divinity; an ethical automaton. A clerical prig is, in general, a very dangerous as well as contemptible character. The utmost that those who thus habitually confound their opinions and sentiments with the outside coverings of their bodies can aspire to, is a negative and neutral character, like wax-work figures, where the dress is done as much to the life as the man, and where both are respectable pieces of pasteboard, or harmless compositions of fleecy hosiery.

William Hazlitt

Life, Character, Men

William Hazlitt (1819). “Political essays, with sketches of public characters”, p.289

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If our hours were all serene, we might probably take almost as little note of them as the dial does of those that are clouded.

William Hazlitt

Peace, Doe, Littles

William Hazlitt (1839). “Sketches and Essays”, p.69

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One of the pleasantest things in the world is going on a journey; I can enjoy society in a room; but out of doors, nature is company enough for me. I am then never less alone than when alone.

William Hazlitt

Journey, Doors, World

William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1206, Delphi Classics

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Genius is native to the soil where it grows — is fed by the air, and warmed by the sun — and is not a hot - house plant or an exotic.

William Hazlitt

Air, Genius, Exotic

"The Complete Works of William Hazlitt".

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Gallantry to women - the sure road to their favor - is nothing but the appearance of extreme devotion to all their wants and wishes, a delight in their satisfaction, and a confidence in yourself as being able to contribute toward it

William Hazlitt

Confidence, Courage, Women

William Hazlitt (1852). “Men and manners: sketches and essays”, p.124

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Kings ought never to be seen upon the stage. In the abstract, they are very disagreeable characters: it is only while living that they are 'the best of kings'. It is their power, their splendour, it is the apprehension of the personal consequences of their favour or their hatred that dazzles the imagination and suspends the judgement of their favourites or their vassals; but death cancels the bond of allegiance and of interest; and seen AS THEY WERE, their power and their pretensions look monstrous and ridiculous.

William Hazlitt

Kings, Character, Imagination

William Hazlitt (1845). “Characters of Shakespeare's Plays”, p.158

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Men will die for an opinion as soon as for anything else.

William Hazlitt

Men, Opinion, Dies

William Hazlitt (2015). “Delphi Collected Works of William Hazlitt (Illustrated)”, p.1482, Delphi Classics

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Belief is with them mechanical, voluntary: they believe what they are paid for - they swear to that which turns to account. Do you suppose, that after years spent in this manner, they have any feeling left answering to the difference between truth and falsehood?

William Hazlitt

Believe, Media, Years

William Hazlitt, James Thornton (1967). “Miscellaneous writings”

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There is evil poured upon the earth from the overflowings of corruption-- Sickness, and poverty, and pain, and guilt, and madness, and sorrow; But, as the water from a fountain riseth and sinketh to its level, Ceaselessly toileth justice to equalize the lots of men.

William Hazlitt

Pain, Men, Justice

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He who would see old Hoghton right Must view it by the pale moonlight.

William Hazlitt

Moon, Views, Moonlight

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Born: April 10, 1778
Died: September 18, 1830
Occupation: Writer
Cite this Page: Citation

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