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Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books.

Charles Caleb Colton

None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them; such persons covet secrets as a spendthrift covets money, for the purpose of circulation.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Money Person Purpose Secret
It may be observed of good writing, as of good blood, that it is much easier to say what it is composed of than to compose it.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Compose Goodness Observation Writing
Total freedom from error is what none of us will allow to our neighbors; however we may be inclined to flirt a little with such spotless perfection ourselves.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Allow Error Flirt Freedom Ourselves Perfection
Most plagiarists, like the drone, have neither taste to select, industry to acquire, nor skill to improve, but impudently pilfer the honey ready prepared, from the hive.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Improvement Plagiarism Preparation Selection Skills Taste
Those that are the loudest in their threats are the weakest in their actions.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Action Loud Threat Weakness
Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty; it is a blessing that must be earned before it can be enjoyed.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Earn Enjoyment Liberty People Raise
Unlike the sun, intellectual luminaries shine brightest after they set.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Bright Intellectual Shine Sun
The man of pleasure, by a vain attempt to be more happy than any man can be, is often more miserable than most men are.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Happiness Man Misery Pleasure
It is best, if possible, to deceive no one; for he that begins by deceiving others, will end by deceiving himself.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Beginning Best End Himself Possible
Wealth after all is a relative thing since he that has little and wants less is richer than he that has much and wants more.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Relative Rich Wealth
He that is gone so far as to cut the claws of the lion, will not feel himself quite secure, until he has also drawn his teeth.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Claw Far Feelings Himself Quite Secure
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
Atheism is a system which can communicate neither warmth nor illumination, except from those fagots which your mistaken zeal has lighted up for its destruction.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Atheist Communication Destruction Light Mistake System Warmth Yourself Zeal
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
Some read to think, these are rare; some to write, these are common; and some read to talk, and these form the great majority.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Greatness Majority Rare Reading Thinking Writing
Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity himself, than straight forward and simple integrity in another.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Complete Integrity Oneself
Cheerfulness ought to be the viaticum vitae of their life to the old; age without cheerfulness is a Lapland winter without a sun.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Cheerful Life Old Sun Winter
A man’s profundity may keep him from opening on a first interview, and his caution on a second; but I should suspect his emptiness, if he carried on his reserve to a third.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Empty Himself Man Profound Reserve Suspect
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
None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Fond Safety Secret
Oppression cannot prosper where none will submit to be enslaved.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Oppression Prosperity Submit
It is better to meet danger than to wait for it. He that is on a lee shore, and foresees a hurricane, stands out to sea and encounters a storm to avoid a shipwreck.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Avoid Better Dangerous Hurricane Shipwreck Storm Wait
Suicide sometimes proceeds from cowardice, but not always; for cowardice sometimes prevents it; since as many live because they are afraid to die, as die because they are afraid to live.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Afraid Coward Death Prevent Suicide Time
Logic and metaphysics make use of more tools than all the rest of the sciences put together, and do the least work.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Logic Science Togetherness Tools Work
The French have a saying that whatever excellence a man may exhibit in a public station he is very apt to be ridiculous in a private one.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Excellence Himself Privacy Station Talk
No man can purchase his virtue too dear, for it is the only thing whose value must ever increase with the price it has cost us. Our integrity is never worth so much as when we have parted with our all to keep it.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON

Integrity Man Ourselves Price Purchase Virtue
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

Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books.

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Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books.

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Popular Authors

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