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To display the greatest powers, unless they are applied to great purposes, makes nothing for the character of greatness.

William Hazlitt

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William Hazlitt
Journalist
Literary Critic
Literary Historian
Painter
Philosopher
Writer
Wm. Haslett
William Carew Hazlitt
Great
Powers
Greatness
Unless
Greatest
Purpose
Makes
Applied
Character
Purposes
Nothing
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More quotes by William Hazlitt

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Grace has been defined as the outward expression of the inward harmony of the soul.
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We uniformly applaud what is right and condemn what is wrong, when it costs us nothing but the sentiment.
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Popularity disarms envy in well-disposed minds. Those are ever the most ready to do justice to others who feel that the world has done them justice. When success has not this effect in opening the mind, it is a sign that it has been ill deserved.
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To be forward to praise others implies either great eminence, that can afford to, part with applause or great quickness of discernment, with confidence in our own judgments or great sincerity and love of truth, getting the better of our self-love.
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People do not persist in their vices because they are not weary of them, but because they cannot leave them off. It is the nature of vice to leave us no resource but in itself.
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The slaves of power mind the cause they have to serve, because their own interest is concerned but the friends of liberty always sacrifice their cause, which is only the cause of humanity, to their own spleen, vanity, and self-opinion.
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We must overact our part in some measure, in order to produce any effect at all.
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To be capable of steady friendship or lasting love, are the two greatest proofs, not only of goodness of heart, but of strength of mind.
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Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.
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Dr. Johnson was a lazy learned man who liked to think and talk better than to read or write who, however, wrote much and well, but too often by rote.
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We often forget our dreams so speedily: if we cannot catch them as they are passing out at the door, we never set eyes on them again.
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Pride goes before a fall, they say, And yet we often find, The folks who throw all pride away Most often fall behind.
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No man can thoroughly master more than one art or science.
William Hazlitt
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Art is the microscope of the mind, which sharpens the wit as the other does the sight and converts every object into a little universe in itself. Art may be said to draw aside the veil from nature. To those who are perfectly unskilled in the practice, unimbued with the principles of art, most objects present only a confused mass.
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Those only deserve a monument who do not need one.
William Hazlitt
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Our opinions are not our own, but in the power of sympathy. If a person tells us a palpable falsehood, we not only dare not contradict him, but we dare hardly disbelieve him to his face. A lie boldly uttered has the effect of truth for the instant.
William Hazlitt
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A grave blockhead should always go about with a lively one - they show one another off to the best advantage.
William Hazlitt
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I can enjoy society in a room but out of doors, nature is company enough for me
William Hazlitt
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I have a much greater ambition to be the best racket player than the best prose writer.
William Hazlitt
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Power is pleasure and pleasure sweetens pain.
William Hazlitt