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Violins are the lively, forward, importunate wits, that distinguish themselves by the flourishes of imagination, sharpness of repartee, glances of satire, and bear away the upper part in every consort.

Richard Steele

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Richard Steele
Age: 57 †
Born: 1672
Born: March 12
Died: 1729
Died: September 1
Journalist
Playwright
Politician
Writer
Dublin city
Sir Richard Steele
Bear
Wits
Musical
Upper
Bears
Satire
Consort
Forward
Lively
Violins
Imagination
Violin
Repartee
Away
Distinguish
Importunate
Part
Glances
Sharpness
Every
Wit
Flourishes

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Though very troublesome to others, anger is most so to him that has it.
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The praise of an ignorant man is only good-will, and you should receive his kindness as he is a good neighbor in society, and not as a good judge of your actions in point of fame and reputation.
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It is a wonderful thing that so many, and they not reckoned absurd, shall entertain those with whom they converse by giving them the history of their pains and aches and imagine such narrations their quota of conversation.
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Whenever you commend, add your reasons for doing so it is this which distinguishes the approbation of a man of sense from the flattery of sycophants and admiration of fools.
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Fire and swords are slow engines of destruction, compared to the tongue of a Gossip.
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He that has sense knows that learning is not knowledge, but rather the art of using it.
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I cannot think of any character below the flatterer, except he who envies him
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Zeal for the public good is the characteristic of a man of honor and a gentleman, and must take the place of pleasures, profits and all other private gratifications.
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Pride destroys all symmetry and grace, and affectation is a more terrible enemy to fine faces than the small-pox.
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It may be remarked in general, that the laugh of men of wit is for the most part but a feint, constrained kind of half-laugh, as such persons are never without some diffidence about them but that of fools is the most honest, natural, open laugh in the world.
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No woman is capable of being beautiful who is not incapable of being false.
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Conversation never sits easier upon us than when we now and then discharge ourselves in a symphony of laughter, which may not improperly be called the chorus of conversation.
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Though her mien carries much more invitation than command, to behold her is an immediate check to loose behaviour to love her was a liberal education.
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The survivorship of a worthy man in his son is a pleasure scarce inferior to the hopes of the continuance of his own life.
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The world is grown so full of dissimulation and compliment, that men's words are hardly any signification of their thoughts.
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When a man is not disposed to hear music, there is not a more disagreeable sound in harmony than that of the violin.
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A favor well bestowed is almost as great an honor to him who confers it as to him who receives it.
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I was going home two hours ago, but was met by Mr. Griffith, who has kept me ever since. . . . I will come within a pint of wine.
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I know of no manner of speaking so offensive as that of giving praise, and closing it with an exception.
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The man is mechanically turned, and made for getting. . . . It was verily prettily said that we may learn the little value of fortune by the persons on whom Heaven is pleased to bestow it.
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