Insolence Quotes - Page 2

• The insolence of base minds in success is boundless; and would scarce admit of a comparison, did not they themselves furnish us with one in the degrees of their abjection when evil returns upon them.

  Laurence Sterne

  Success, Failure, Evil

  Laurence Sterne (1872). “The Complete Works of Laurence Sterne: With a Life of the Author”, p.301

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• Paris, hours in the café, a certain spirit of rebellion, one side a bit too stubborn, the sea, the true, in Bretagne, the walking in Provence, the taste, the passion for literature, the libraries, the beautiful editions, remaking the world in a set of hours around a table and a bottle of wine. Talking without really saying nothing, just for the pleasure of talking. The museums, the theatres, the elegance, the delicacy, the heritage of the Illustration, a humanistic philosophy. The balance we got between a nordic rigor and a latin savoir-vivre, the insolence and the freedom.

  Clemence Poesy

  Beautiful, Latin, Philosophy

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• And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.

  John Milton

  Wine, Son, Night

  'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 1, l. 500

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• True courage is cool and calm. The bravest of men have the least of a brutal, bullying insolence, and in the very time of danger are found the most serene and free.

  Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury

  Bullying, Time, Kids

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• He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be.

  Pierre Corneille

  Insulted Him, Deserve, Insult

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• The insolence of time is like a blow in the face from an unseen enemy.

  Margaret Deland

  Time, Blow, Enemy

  Margaret Deland (1894). “Sidney”

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• Adolescence is usually typified by an unanswerable combination of innocence and insolence.

  Alice Thomas Ellis

  Innocence, Combination, Adolescence

  Alice Thomas Ellis (1994). “The Summer House: A Trilogy”, Penguin Group USA

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• Surfeit begets insolence, when prosperity comes to a bad man.

  Theognis of Megara

  Men, Disrespect, Prosperity

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• Hatred grows into insolence when we desire to excel the rest of mankind and imagine we do not belong to the common lot; we even severely and haughtily despise others as our inferiors.

  John Calvin

  Hatred, Desire, Common

  John Calvin (2004). “Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life”, p.32, Baker Books

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• There are people who are known to be very liberal, yet they never give without scolding or pride or even insolence.

  John Calvin

  Pride, People, Giving

  John Calvin, Henry Van Andel (2004). “Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life”, p.39, Baker Books

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• Wisdom and virtue are by no means sufficient, without the supplemental laws of good-breeding, to secure freedom from degenerating into rudeness, or self esteem from swelling into insolence. A thousand incivilities may be committed, and a thousand offices neglected. without any remorse of conscience, or reproach from reason.

  Samuel Johnson

  Self Esteem, Mean, Law

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1825). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With Murphy's Essay”, p.459

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• He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be so; and insolence, if unpunished, increases!
  [Lat., Qui se laisse outrager, merite qu'on l'outrage
  Et l'audace impunie enfle trop un courage.]

  Pierre Corneille

  Insult, Increase, Outrage

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• Conquer with forbearance
  The excesses of insolence.

  Thiruvalluvar

  Excess, Conquer, Forbearance

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• The madness of mobs or the insolence of soldiers, or both, when too near to each other, occasion some mischief.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Soldier, Revolution, Madness

  Benjamin Franklin (1840). “The works of Benjamin Franklin: with notes and a life of the author by J. Sparks”, p.437

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• If a man is respectful he will not be treated with insolence. If he is tolerant he will win the multitude. If he is trustworthy in word his fellow men will entrust him with responsibility. If he is quick he will achieve results.

  Confucius

  Trust, Leadership, Respect

  "The Analects".

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• To revenge reasonable incredulity by refusing evidence, is a degree of insolence with which the world is not yet acquainted; and stubborn audacity is the last refuge of guilt.

  Samuel Johnson

  Revenge, Guilt, Degrees

  Samuel Johnson (2010). “Journey to the Hebrides: A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland & The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”, p.104, Canongate Books

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• The outrages of the powerful, the insolence of the rich, scorn of the proud, and malice of the uncharitable, all beating against the broken spirit of the unfortunate.

  Elizabeth Montagu

  Powerful, Broken Spirit, Proud

  Elizabeth Robinson Montagu, Mrs. Montagu (Elizabeth) (1809). “The letters of Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu: with some of the letters of her correspondents”, p.226

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• Youth is insolent; it is its right - its necessity; it has got to assert itself, and all assertion in this world of doubts is a defiance, is an insolence.

  Joseph Conrad

  Doubt, World, Youth

  Joseph Conrad (2015). “The Complete Novels of Joseph Conrad - All 20 Works in One Premium Edition: Including Unforgettable Titles like Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, The Secret Agent, Nostromo, Under Western Eyes and Many More (With Author’s Letters, Memoirs and Critical Essays)”, p.771, e-artnow

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• When an almond tree became covered with blossoms in the heart of winter, all the trees around it began to jeer. 'What vanity,' they screamed, 'what insolence! Just think, it believes it can bring spring in this way!' The flowers of the almond tree blushed for shame. 'Forgive me, my sisters,' said the tree. 'I swear I did not want to blossom, but suddenly I felt a warm springtime breeze in my heart.

  Nikos Kazantzakis

  Spring, Believe, Flower

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• Imagination magnifies small objects with fantastic exaggeration until they fill our soul, and with bold insolence cuts down great things to its own size, as when speaking of God.

  Blaise Pascal

  Cutting, Small Objects, Imagination

  Blaise Pascal (2008). “Human Happiness”, Penguin Group USA

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• Are you not justified in feeling inferior, when you seek to cover it up with arrogance and insolence?

  Malcolm Forbes

  Feelings, Arrogance, Justified

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• Your depression is connected to your insolence and refusal to praise. Whoever feels himself walking on the path, and refuses to praise--that man or woman steals from others every day--is a shoplifter! The sun became full of light when it got hold of itself. Angels only began shining when they achieved discipline. The sun goes out whenever the cloud of not-praising comes. The moment the foolish angel felt insolent, he heard the door close.

  Rumi

  Angel, Men, Clouds

  Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (Maulana), Jelaluddin Rumi, Kabir Helminski, Andrew Harvey (2005). “The Rumi Collection: An Anthology of Translations of Mevlâna Jalâluddin Rumi”, p.122, Shambhala Publications

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• Philosophy has often attempted to repress insolence by asserting that all conditions are leveled by death; a position which, however it may defect the happy, will seldom afford much comfort to the wretched.

  Samuel Johnson

  Death, Philosophy, Comfort

  Samuel Johnson (1848). “The Wisdom of the Rambler, Adventurer, and Idler”, p.277

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• The characteristic of a well-bred man is, to converse with his inferiors without insolence, and with his superiors with respect and with ease.

  Doug Stanhope

  Respect, Men, Ease

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• No man is nobler born than another, unless he is born with better abilities and a more amiable disposition. They who make such a parade with their family pictures and pedigrees, are, properly speaking, rather to be called noted or notorious than noble persons. I thought it right to say this much, in order to repel the insolence of men who depend entirely upon chance and accidental circumstances for distinction, and not at all on public services and personal merit.

  Seneca the Younger

  Men, Order, Noble

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