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Cunning is the art of concealing our own defects, and discovering other people's weaknesses.

William Hazlitt

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William Hazlitt
Journalist
Literary Critic
Literary Historian
Painter
Philosopher
Writer
Wm. Haslett
William Carew Hazlitt
Defects
Deceit
Deception
Discovering
Weakness
Knowledge
Concealing
Art
Weaknesses
People
Cunning

More quotes by William Hazlitt

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Comedy naturally wears itself out - destroys the very food on which it lives and by constantly and successfully exposing the follies and weaknesses of mankind to ridicule, in the end leaves itself nothing worth laughing at.
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The more you do, the more you can do.
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It is a false principle that because we are entirely occupied with ourselves, we must equally occupy the thoughts of others. The contrary inference is the fair one.
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There are only three pleasures in life pure and lasting, and all derived from inanimate things-books, pictures and the face of nature.
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The corpse of friendship is not worth embalming.
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What passes in the world for talent or dexterity or enterprise is often only a want of moral principle. We may succeed where others fail, not from a greater share of invention, but from not being nice in the choice of expedients.
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A nickname is the hardest stone that the devil can throw at a man.
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Genius, like humanity, rusts for want of use.
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A great chess-player is not a great man, for he leaves the world as he found it. No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness. This will apply to all displays of power or trials of skill, which are confined to the momentary, individual effort, and construct no permanent image or trophy of themselves without them
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To create an unfavorable impression, it is not necessary that certain things should be true, but that they have been said.
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Sincerity has to do with the connexion between our words and thoughts, and not between our beliefs and actions.
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Those people who are uncomfortable in themselves are disagreeable to others.
William Hazlitt
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Familiarity confounds all traits of distinction interest and prejudice take away the power of judging.
William Hazlitt
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To speak highly of one with whom we are intimate is a species of egotism. Our modesty as well as our jealousy teaches us caution on this subject.
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The contemplation of truth and beauty is the proper object for which we were created, which calls forth the most intense desires of the soul, and of which it never tires.
William Hazlitt
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A wise traveler never despises his own country.
William Hazlitt
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If you give an audience a chance they will do half your acting for you.
William Hazlitt
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Silence is one great art of conversation.
William Hazlitt
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The more we do, the more we can do the more busy we are, the more leisure we have.
William Hazlitt
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Violence ever defeats its own ends. Where you cannot drive you can always persuade. A gentle word, a kind look, a god-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles. There is a secret pride in every human heart than revolts at tyranny. You may order and drive an individual, but you cannot make him respect you.
William Hazlitt