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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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Richard Steele
Age: 57 †
Born: 1672
Born: March 12
Died: 1729
Died: September 1
Journalist
Playwright
Politician
Writer
Dublin city
Sir Richard Steele
Persons
Fool
Diffidence
Without
Laughing
Remarked
Kind
Honest
Constrained
Never
Open
Fools
Men
Half
Wit
World
Natural
Laughter
Part
Laugh
May
General

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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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There can hardly, I believe, be imagined a more desirable pleasure than that of praise unmixed with any possibility of flattery.
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Since our persons are not of our own making, when they are such as appear defective or uncomely, it is, methinks, an honest and laudable fortitude to dare to be ugly.
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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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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 world is grown so full of dissimulation and compliment, that men's words are hardly any signification of their thoughts.
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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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Many take pleasure in spreading abroad the weakness of an exalted character.
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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.
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A fool is in himself the object of pity, until he is flattered.
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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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Modesty never rages, never murmurs, never pouts when it is ill-treated, it pines, it beseeches, it languishes.
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No woman is capable of being beautiful who is not incapable of being false.
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It is to beoted that when any part of this paper appears dull there is a design in it.
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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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I look upon it as a Point of Morality, to be obliged by those who endeavour to oblige me
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It is the duty of a great person so to demean himself, as that whatever endowments he may have, he may appear to value himself upon no qualities but such as any man may arrive at.
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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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It is a very melancholy reflection that men are usually so weak that it is absolutely necessary for them to know sorrow and pain to be in their right senses.
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