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
attentions ceremony paying people receive return shall soon tired toward treated
If we use no ceremony toward others, we shall be treated without any. People are soon tired of paying trifling attentions to those who receive them with coldness, and return them with neglect.
alone civilization english exist french germans giving irish italians offense reserved scotch seem spaniards taking
The Irish are hearty, the Scotch plausible, the French polite, the Germans good-natured, the Italians courtly, the Spaniards reserved and decorous - the English alone seem to exist in taking and giving offense
crowd nine power ten throw
Every one in a crowd has the power to throw dirt: nine out of ten have the inclination
friendship strength heart
To be capable of steady friendship or lasting love, are the two greatest proofs, not only of goodness of heart, but of strength of mind.
love disappointment passion
People try to reconcile you to a disappointment in love by asking why you should cherish a passion for an object that has proved itself worthless. Had you known this before, you would not have encouraged the passion; but that having been once formed, knowledge does not destroy it. If we have drank poison, finding it out does not prevent its being in our veins: so passion leaves its poison in the mind!
inspirational smart fall
I'm not smart, but I like to observe. Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.
inspirational life art
The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.
attitude leisure-activities busy
The more we do, the more we can do; the more busy we are, the more leisure we have.
motivational happiness smile
A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.
peace war humanity
Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves.
landscape void form
All is without form and void. Someone said of his landscapes that they were pictures of nothing and very like.
exercise opportunity thinking
It [will-making] is the latest opportunity we have of exercising the natural perversity of the disposition ... This last act of our lives seldom belies the former tenor of them for stupidity, caprice, and unmeaning spite. All that we seem to think of is to manage matters so (in settling accounts with those who are so unmannerly as to survive us) as to do as little good, and to plague and disappoint as many people, as possible.
lasts titles volume
The last sort I shall mention are verbal critics - mere word-catchers, fellows that pick out a word in a sentence and a sentence in a volume, and tell you it is wrong. The title of Ultra-Crepidarian critics has been given to a variety of this species.
wise men hypocrisy
Religion either makes men wise and virtuous, or it makes them set up false pretenses to both.