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A man of remarkable genius may afford to pass by a piece of wit, if it happen to border on abuse. A little genius is obliged to catch at every witticism indiscriminately.

William Shenstone

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William Shenstone
Age: 48 †
Born: 1714
Born: November 18
Died: 1763
Died: February 11
Gardener
Horticulturist
Poet
Writer
Little
Pass
Border
Every
Piece
Obliged
Men
Genius
Wit
Pieces
Afford
Happen
Borders
Happens
Catch
Littles
Remarkable
Witticism
May
Abuse
Indiscriminately

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Immoderate assurance is perfect licentiousness.
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Modesty makes large amends for the pain it gives those who labor under it, by the prejudice it affords every worthy person in their favor.
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Many persons, when exalted, assume an insolent humility, who behaved before with an insolent haughtiness.
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However, I think a plain space near the eye gives it a kind of liberty it loves and then the picture, whether you choose the grand or beautiful, should be held up at its proper distance. Variety is the principal ingredient in beauty and simplicity is essential to grandeur.
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The regard one shows economy, is like that we show an old aunt who is to leave us something at last.
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Amid the most mercenary ages it is but a secondary sort of admiration that is bestowed upon magnificence.
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Nothing is certain in London but expense.
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Every single instance of a friend's insincerity increases our dependence on the efficacy of money.
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The fund of sensible discourse is limited that of jest and badinerie is infinite.
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Theirs is the present who can praise the past.
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Let the gulled fool the toil of war pursue, where bleed the many to enrich the few.
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Wit is the refractory pupil of judgment.
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Long sentences in a short composition are like large rooms in a little house.
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Critics must excuse me if I compare them to certain animals called asses, who, by gnawing vines, originally taught the great advantage of pruning them.
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The love of popularity seems little else than the love of being beloved and is only blamable when a person aims at the affections of a people by means in appearance honest, but in their end pernicious and destructive.
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When self-interest inclines a man to print, he should consider that the purchaser expects a pennyworth for his penny, and has reason to asperse his honesty if he finds himself deceived.
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Trifles discover a character, more than actions of importance.
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A court of heraldry sprung up to supply the place of crusade exploits, to grant imaginary shields and trophies to families that never wore real armor, and it is but of late that it has been discovered to have no real jurisdiction.
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Learning, like money, may be of so base a coin as to be utterly void of use or, if sterling, may require good management to make it serve the purposes of sense or happiness.
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When misfortunes happen to such as dissent from us in matters of religion, we call them judgments when to those of our own sect, we call them trials when to persons neither way distinguished, we are content to attribute them to the settled course of things.
William Shenstone