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Vanity makes people ridiculous, pride odious, and ambition terrible.

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
Terrible
Makes
People
Odious
Vanity
Ridiculous
Ambition
Pride

More quotes by Richard Steele

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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.
Richard Steele
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I know of no manner of speaking so offensive as that of giving praise, and closing it with an exception.
Richard Steele
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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.
Richard Steele
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Many take pleasure in spreading abroad the weakness of an exalted character.
Richard Steele
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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.
Richard Steele
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He that has sense knows that learning is not knowledge, but rather the art of using it.
Richard Steele
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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.
Richard Steele
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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.
Richard Steele
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A Woman is naturally more helpless than the other Sex and a Man of Honour and Sense should have this in his View in all Manner of Commerce with her.
Richard Steele
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Simplicity of all things is the hardest to be copy.
Richard Steele
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I love to consider an Infidel, whether distinguished by the title of deist, atheist, or free-thinker.
Richard Steele
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Modesty never rages, never murmurs, never pouts when it is ill-treated, it pines, it beseeches, it languishes.
Richard Steele
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It has been a sort of maxim, that the greatest art is to conceal art but I know not how, among some people we meet with, their greatest cunning is to appear cunning.
Richard Steele
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Pride destroys all symmetry and grace, and affectation is a more terrible enemy to fine faces than the small-pox.
Richard Steele
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The insupportable labor of doing nothing.
Richard Steele
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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.
Richard Steele
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I cannot think of any character below the flatterer, except he who envies him
Richard Steele
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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.
Richard Steele
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No woman is capable of being beautiful who is not incapable of being false.
Richard Steele
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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.
Richard Steele