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The making presents to a lady one addresses is like throwing armor into an enemy's camp, with a resolution to recover it.

William Shenstone

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William Shenstone
Age: 48 †
Born: 1714
Born: November 18
Died: 1763
Died: February 11
Gardener
Horticulturist
Poet
Writer
Camps
Addresses
Resolution
Throwing
Lady
Recover
Enemy
Armor
Making
Camp
Like
Presents

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It should seem that indolence itself would incline a person to be honest, as it requires infinitely greater pains and contrivance to be a knave.
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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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Avarice is the most oppose of all characters to that of God Almighty, whose alone it is to give and not receive.
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The weak and insipid white wine makes at length excellent vinegar.
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The most reserved of men, that will not exchange two syllables together in an English coffee-house, should they meet at Ispahan, would drink sherbet and eat a mess of rice together.
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Many persons, when exalted, assume an insolent humility, who behaved before with an insolent haughtiness.
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The lines of poetry, the period of prose, and even the texts of Scripture most frequently recollected and quoted, are those which are felt to be preeminently musical.
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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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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.
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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.
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There is a certain flimsiness of poetry which seems expedient in a song.
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To one who said, I do not believe that there is an honest man in the world, another replied, It is impossible that any one man should know all the world, but quite possible that one may know himself.
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The best time to frame an answer to the letters of a friend, is the moment you receive them. Then the warmth of friendship, and the intelligence received, most forcibly cooperate.
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The eye must be easy, before it can be pleased.
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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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The fund of sensible discourse is limited that of jest and badinerie is infinite.
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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.
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Reserve is no more essentially connected with understanding than a church organ with devotion, or wine with good-nature.
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Oft has good nature been the fool's defence, And honest meaning gilded want of sense.
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It happens a little unluckily that the persons who have the most infinite contempt of money are the same that have the strongest appetite for the pleasures it procures.
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