William Hazlitt
William Hazlitt
William Hazlittwas an English writer, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English language, placed in the company of Samuel Johnson and George Orwell. He is also acknowledged as the finest art critic of his age. Despite his high standing among historians of literature and art, his work is currently little read and mostly out of print...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionCritic
Date of Birth10 April 1778
argument compel distinct fair people persuade reason surely
It is surely a distinct question, what you can persuade people to do by argument and fair discussion, and what you may lawfully compel them to do, when reason and remonstrance fail.
earnest honesty others persuade
Honesty is one part eloquence. We persuade others by being in earnest ourselves.
converts good man proud satisfied seek truly
The truly proud man is satisfied with his own good opinion, and does not seek to make converts to it.
lest stands wander
Lest he should wander irretrievably from the right path, he stands still.
doth lend lose
He that doth lend doth lose a friend.
creature gentleman great known moment opinion public shake title
It is great to shake off the trammels of the world and of public opinion . . . and become the creature of the moment . . . known by no other title than The Gentleman in the Parlour!
afterwards anywhere borrow english-critic life spend traveling
I should like to spend the whole of my life in traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home.
body clear held mind obvious therefore
The accomplishments of the body are obvious and clear to all: those of the mind are recondite and doubtful, and therefore grudgingly acknowledged, or held up as the sport of prejudice, spite, and folly.
allowed counting distance leisure march simple steps
Surely, nothing is more simple than Time. His march is straightforward; but we should have leisure allowed us to look back upon the distance we have come, and not be counting his steps every moment.
appearance confidence contribute courage delight devotion extreme favor road sure toward wants women
Gallantry to women -- the sure road to their favor -- is nothing but the appearance of extreme devotion to all their wants and wishes, a delight in their satisfaction, and a confidence in yourself as being able to contribute toward it.
ability depends judge life men ourselves success
The world judge of men by their ability in their professions, and we judge of ourselves by the same test; for it is on that on which our success in life depends
barren beyond cold combined coming distant edge faint feeling hear hill imaginary manner mind rocks seems shelter sound together top warm whistle woody
If from the top of a long cold barren hill I hear the distant whistle of a thrush which seems to come up from some warm woody shelter beyond the edge of the hill, this sound coming faint over the rocks with a mingled feeling of strangeness and joy, the idea of the place about me, and the imaginary one beyond will all be combined together in such a manner in my mind as to become inseparable.
baffling chiefly consists expectation
The are of will-making chiefly consists in baffling the importunity of expectation.
appeals artificial books bosom businesses derive generally knowledge known learned learning none
Learning is the knowledge of that which is not generally known to others, and which we can only derive at second-hand from books or other artificial sources. The knowledge of that which is before us, or about us, which appeals to our experience, passions, and pursuits, to the bosom and businesses of men, is not learning. Learning is the knowledge of that which none but the learned know.