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The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression.

Quintilian

Fear of the future is worse than one’s present fortune.
QUINTILIAN

Fear Fortune Future Present
It is the nurse that the child first hears, and her words that he will first attempt to imitate.
QUINTILIAN

Children Himself Imitation Nurse
There is no one who would not rather appear to know than to be taught.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Teaching
As regards parents, I should like to see them as highly educated as possible, and I do not restrict this remark to fathers alone.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Education Father Myself Parents Possible Regard Restrict
Vain hopes are like certain dreams of those who wake.
QUINTILIAN

Awake Dreams Hope
Although virtue receives some of its excellencies from nature, yet it is perfected by education.
QUINTILIAN

Excellence Nature Perfection Virtue
Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty.
QUINTILIAN

Beautiful Exact Similar
The obscurity of a writer is generally in proportion to his incapacity.
QUINTILIAN

Capacity Writing
Nothing can be pleasing which is not also becoming.
QUINTILIAN

Deep Please
We should not speak so that it is possible for the audience to understand us, but so that it is impossible for them to misunderstand us.
QUINTILIAN

Impossible Misunderstand Possible Talk Understand
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Lost Perfection Vanish
It seldom happens that a premature shoot of genius ever arrives at maturity.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Genius Maturity
The learned understand the reason of art; the unlearned feel the pleasure.
QUINTILIAN

Art Feeling Learning Pleasure Reason Understand
It is much easier to try one’s hand at many things than to concentrate one’s powers on one thing.
QUINTILIAN

Easy Hand Oneself Power Try
Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Mistake Mom Virtue
If you direct your whole thought to work itself, none of the things which invade eyes or ears will reach the mind.
QUINTILIAN

Direct Eyes Mindset Reach Work

The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression.

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The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression.

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