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Deference often shrinks and withers as much upon the approach of intimacy as the sensitive plant does upon the touch of one's finger.

William Shenstone

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William Shenstone
Age: 48 †
Born: 1714
Born: November 18
Died: 1763
Died: February 11
Gardener
Horticulturist
Poet
Writer
Approach
Deference
Upon
Shrinks
Often
Finger
Doe
Intimacy
Much
Sensitive
Fingers
Plant
Touch
Withers

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In every village marked with little spire, Embowered in trees, and hardly known to fame.
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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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There are no persons more solicitous about the preservation of rank than those who have no rank at all. Observe the humors of a country christening, and you will find no court in Christendom so ceremonious as the quality of Brentford.
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A liar begins with making falsehood appear like truth, and ends with making truth itself appear like falsehood.
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A man has generally the good or ill qualities which he attributes to mankind.
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A large, branching, aged oak is perhaps the most venerable of all inanimate objects.
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Anger is a great force. If you control it, it can be transmuted into a power which can move the whole world.
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Men are sometimes accused of pride, merely because their accusers would be proud themselves were they in their places.
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Laws are generally found to be nets of such a texture, as the little creep through, the great break through, and the middle-sized are alone entangled in it.
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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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Zealous men are ever displaying to you the strength of their belief. while judicious men are showing you the grounds of it.
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Anger and the thirst of revenge are a kind of fever fighting and lawsuits, bleeding,--at least, an evacuation. The latter occasions a dissipation of money the former, of those fiery spirits which cause a preternatural fermentation.
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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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Immoderate assurance is perfect licentiousness.
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I am thankful that my name in obnoxious to no pun.
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It seems idle to rail at ambition merely because it is a boundless passion or rather is not this circumstance an argument in its favor? If one would be employed or amused through life, should we not make choice of a passion that will keep one long in play?
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A statue in a garden is to be considered as one part of a scene or landscape.
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Let us be careful to distinguish modesty, which is ever amiable, from reserve, which is only prudent.
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Bashfulness is more frequently connected with good sense than we find assurance and impudence, on the other hand, is often the mere effect of downright stupidity.
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Jealousy is the fear or apprehension of superiority: envy our uneasiness under it.
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