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All human excellence is but comparative — there are persons who excel us, as much as we fancy we excel the meanest.

Samuel Richardson

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Samuel Richardson
Age: 73 †
Born: 1687
Born: August 19
Died: 1761
Died: July 4
Novelist
Writer
S. Richardson
Fancy
Excellence
May
Persons
Human
Humans
Comparative
Much
Meanest
Excel

More quotes by Samuel Richardson

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Married people should not be quick to hear what is said by either when in ill humor.
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The World, thinking itself affronted by superior merit, takes delight to bring it down to its own level.
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Tho' Beauty is generally the creature of fancy, yet are there some who will be Beauties in every eye.
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We are all very ready to believe what we like.
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A good man, though he will value his own countrymen, yet will think as highly of the worthy men of every nation under the sun.
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I never knew a man who deserved to be thought well of for his morals who had a slight opinion of our Sex in general.
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Those commands of superiors which are contrary to our first duties are not to be obeyed.
Samuel Richardson
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Whenever we approve, we can find a hundred good reasons to justify our approbation. Whenever we dislike, we can find a thousand to justify our dislike.
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I have my choice: who can wish for more? Free will enables us to do everything well while imposition makes a light burden heavy.
Samuel Richardson
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The English, the plain English, of the politest address of a gentleman to a lady is, I am now, dear Madam, your humble servant: Pray be so good as to let me be your Lord and Master.
Samuel Richardson
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For the human mind is seldom at stay: If you do not grow better, you will most undoubtedly grow worse.
Samuel Richardson
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Hope is the cordial that keeps life from stagnating.
Samuel Richardson
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She who is more ashamed of dishonesty than of poverty will not be easily overcome.
Samuel Richardson
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The World is not enough used to this way of writing, to the moment. It knows not that in the minutiae lie often the unfoldings ofthe Story, as well as of the heart and judges of an action undecided, as if it were absolutely decided.
Samuel Richardson
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If the education and studies of children were suited to their inclinations and capacities, many would be made useful members of society that otherwise would make no figure in it.
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Women are so much in love with compliments that rather than want them, they will compliment one another, yet mean no more by it than the men do.
Samuel Richardson
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There is a good and a bad light in which every thing that befalls us may be taken. If the human mind will busy itself to make theworst of every disagreeable occurrence, it will never want woe.
Samuel Richardson
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The little words in the Republic of Letters, like the little folks in a nation, are the most useful and significant.
Samuel Richardson
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The eye is the casement at which the heart generally looks out. Many a woman who will not show herself at the door, has tipt the sly, the intelligible wink from the window.
Samuel Richardson
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Vast is the field of Science... the more a man knows, the more he will find he has to know.
Samuel Richardson