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I have found by experience that they who have spent all their lives in cities, improve their talents but impair their virtues; and strengthen their minds but weaken their morals.

Charles Caleb Colton

It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or to those who, like Paley, purify it, stamp it, fix its real value, and give it currency and utility.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Current Doubt Kind Man Utility
If a cause be good, the most violent attack of its enemies will not injure it so much as an injudicious defence of it by its friends.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Attack Defense Enemy Friendship Goodness Violence
It is not every man that can afford to wear a shabby coat.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Afford Man Poor
Light, whether it be material or moral, is the best reformer.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Best Light Material Moral
Falsehood is often rocked by truth, but she soon outgrows her cradle and discards her nurse.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Fake Herself Nurse Rock Truth
Discretion has been termed the better part of valour, and it is more certain, that diffidence is the better part of knowledge.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Better Certain Knowledge Term
Justice to my readers compels me to admit that I write because I have nothing to do; justice to myself induces me to add that I will cease to write the moment I have nothing to say.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Admit Justice Moments Myself Reading
Our minds are as different as our faces. We are all traveling to one destination: happiness, but few are going by the same road.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Different Face Happiness Mindset Road
There is nothing more imprudent than excessive prudence.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Excess Prudent
An Irish man fights before he reasons, a Scotchman reasons before he fights, an Englishman is not particular as to the order of precedence, but will do either to accommodate his customers.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Customer Fight Man Reason
Attempts at reform, when they fail, strengthen despotism, as he that struggles tightens those cords he does not succeed in breaking.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Break Failure Strength Success
Pain may be said to follow pleasure as its shadow; but the misfortune is that in this particular case, the substance belongs to the shadow, the emptiness to its cause.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Case Empty Follow Misfortune Pain Shadow Substance
Make no enemies; he is insignificant indeed that can do thee no harm.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Enemy Harm Yourself
When you have nothing to say, say nothing.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Silence Word Yourself
True contentment depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Diogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Enough Satisfaction True
The family is the most basic unit of government. As the first community to which a person is attached and the first authority under which a person learns to live, the family establishes society’s most basic values.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Attachment Authority Basic Establishment Family Government Person Value
It is astonishing how much more people are interested in lengthening life than improving it.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Astonishment Improvement Life People
He that has energy enough to root out a vice should go further, and try to plant a virtue in its place.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Energy Enough Place Plant Virtue
Sturdy beggars can bear stout denials.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Bear Beggar Refusal
Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Answer Examination Fools Greatness Man Preparation Wisdom
A high degree of intellectual refinement in the female is the surest pledge society can have for the improvement of the male.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Female Improvement Intellectual Male Pledge
There are two way of establishing a reputation, one to be praised by honest people and the other to be accused by rogues. It is best, however, to secure the first one, because it will always be accompanied by the latter.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Accompany Establishment Oneself Reputation Secure Way
Pleasure is to women what the sun is to the flower; if moderately enjoyed, it beautifies, it refreshes, and it improves; if immoderately, it withers, deteriorates and destroys.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Destroy Enjoyment Improvement Pleasure Sun Woman
A public debt is a kind of anchor in the storm; but if the anchor be too heavy for the vessel, she will be sunk by that very weight which was intended for her preservation.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Anand Thakur
That which we acquire with the most difficulty we retain the longest; as those who have earned a fortune are usually more careful of it than those who have inherited one.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Care Difficult Earn Fortune Inheritance
Constant success shows us but one side of the world; adversity brings out the reverse of the picture.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Adversity Photograph Reverse Success World
Honor is unstable and seldom the same; for she feeds upon opinion, and is as fickle as her food.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Food Herself Honor Stability

I have found by experience that they who have spent all their lives in cities, improve their talents but impair their virtues; and strengthen their minds but weaken their morals.

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I have found by experience that they who have spent all their lives in cities, improve their talents but impair their virtues; and strengthen their minds but weaken their morals.

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Popular Authors

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