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A harmless hilarity and a buoyant cheerfulness are not infrequent concomitants of genius; and we are never more deceived than when we mistake gravity for greatness, solemnity for science, and pomposity for erudition.

Charles Caleb Colton

The mistakes of the fool are known to the world, but not to himself. The mistakes of the wise man are known to himself, but not to the world.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Fools Himself Known Man Mistake World
There are both dull correctness and piquant carelessness; it is needless to say which will command the most readers and have the most influence.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Care Command Influence Reading
There is this difference between happiness and wisdom; he that thinks himself the happiest man, really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Difference Fools Greatness Happiness Wisdom
An honest man will continue to be so though surrounded on all sides by rogues.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Honesty Man Side Surround
Butler compared the tongues of these eternal talkers to race-horses, which go the faster the less weight they carry.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Carry Compare Talk Weight
The more gross the fraud the more glibly will it go down, and the more greedily be swallowed, since folly will always find faith where impostors will find imprudence.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Faith Fraud Greedy Imposter Prudent Swallow
True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Friendship Health Known Lost Sound True
There are male as well as female gossips.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Female Gossip Male
Women do not transgress the bounds of decorum so often as men; but when they do, they go greater lengths.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Bound Greatness Length Man Woman
Grant graciously what you cannot refuse safely and conciliate those you cannot conquer.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Conquer Grace Grant Refusal Safety Yourself
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

Born Eyes Man Oneself Proverb
Strong as our passions are, they may be starved into submission, and conquered without being killed.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Kill Ourselves Passion Strong Submission
If you are under obligations to many, it is prudent to postpone the recompensing of one, until it be in your power to remunerate all; otherwise you will make more enemies by what you give, than by what you withhold.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Enemy Hold Obligation Power
A coxcomb begins by determining that his own profession is the first; and he finishes by deciding that he is the first of profession.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Beginning Decision Determination Himself Professional
Our admiration of fine writing will always be in proportion to its real difficulty and its apparent ease.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Admire Difficult Fine Writing
There are two principles of established acceptance in morals; first, that self-interest is the mainspring of all of our actions, and secondly, that utility is the test of their value.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Establishment Principle Test Value

A harmless hilarity and a buoyant cheerfulness are not infrequent concomitants of genius; and we are never more deceived than when we mistake gravity for greatness, solemnity for science, and pomposity for erudition.

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A harmless hilarity and a buoyant cheerfulness are not infrequent concomitants of genius; and we are never more deceived than when we mistake gravity for greatness, solemnity for science, and pomposity for erudition.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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