Quote

A distinction has been made between acuteness and subtlety of understanding. This might be illustrated by saying that acuteness consists in taking up the points or solid atoms, subtlety in feeling the air of truth.

William Hazlitt

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William Hazlitt
Journalist
Literary Critic
Literary Historian
Painter
Philosopher
Writer
Wm. Haslett
William Carew Hazlitt
Saying
Subtlety
Feeling
Atoms
Understanding
Solid
Feelings
Consists
Truth
Distinction
Might
Points
Made
Air
Acuteness
Taking
Illustrated

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When you find out a man's ruling passion, beware of crossing him in it.
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As hypocrisy is said to be the highest compliment to virtue, the art of lying is the strongest acknowledgment of the force of truth.
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The discussing the characters and foibles of common friends is a great sweetness and cement of friendship.
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The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases.
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Wonder at the first sight of works of art may be the effect of ignorance and novelty but real admiration and permanent delight in them are the growth of taste and knowledge.
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Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit -- or a mask. . . . The foregoing maxim shows the difference between truth and sarcasm.
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In public speaking, we must appeal either to the prejudices of others, or to the love of truth and justice. If we think merely of displaying our own ability, we shall ruin every cause we undertake.
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To display the greatest powers, unless they are applied to great purposes, makes nothing for the character of greatness.
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Within my heart is lurking suspicion, and base fear, and shame and hate but above all, tyrannous love sits throned, crowned with her graces, silent and in tears.
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Let a man's talents or virtues be what they may, he will only feel satisfaction in his society as he is satisfied in himself.
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He who undervalues himself is justly undervalued by others.
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That which anyone has been long learning unwillingly, he unlearns with proportional eagerness and haste.
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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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He who is as faithful to his principles as he is to himself is the true partisan.
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Love may turn to indifference with possession.
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Learning is, in too many cases, but a foil to common sense a substitute for true knowledge.
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We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner of doing it.
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Cowardice is not synonymous with prudence. It often happens that the better part of discretion is valor.
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Our contempt for others proves nothing but the illiberality and narrowness of our own views.
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The essence of poetry is will and passion.
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