William Hazlitt quotes

Hope is the best possession. None are completely wretched but those who are without hope. Few are reduced so low as that.

No man is truly great who is great only in his lifetime. The test of greatness is the page of history.

Poetry is the universal language which the heart holds with nature and itself. He who has a contempt for poetry, cannot have much respect for himself, or for anything else.

Grace in women has more effect than beauty.

Wit is the salt of conversation, not the food.

Learning is its own exceeding great reward.

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.

Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves.

Even in the common affairs of life, in love, friendship, and marriage, how little security have we when we trust our happiness in the hands of others!

Cunning is the art of concealing our own defects, and discovering other people's weaknesses.

Even in the common affairs of life, in love, friendship, and marriage, how little security have we when we trust our happiness in the hands of others!

The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.

A nickname is the heaviest stone that the devil can throw at a man. It is a bugbear to the imagination, and, though we do not believe in it, it still haunts our apprehensions.

He will never have true friends who is afraid of making enemies.

No man is truly great who is great only in his lifetime. The test of greatness is the page of history.

A hypocrite despises those whom he deceives, but has no respect for himself. He would make a dupe of himself too, if he could.

A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.

You know more of a road by having traveled it than by all the conjectures and descriptions in the world.

We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts.

We are very much what others think of us. The reception our observations meet with gives us courage to proceed, or damps our efforts.

The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.

Zeal will do more than knowledge.

Love turns, with a little indulgence, to indifference or disgust; hatred alone is immortal.

If you give an audience a chance they will do half your acting for you.

Look up, laugh loud, talk big, keep the color in your cheek and the fire in your eye, adorn your person, maintain your health, your beauty and your animal spirits.

A wise traveler never despises his own country.

Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves.

If we wish to know the force of human genius, we should read Shakespeare. If we wish to see the insignificance of human learning, we may study his commentators.

Even in the common affairs of life, in love, friendship, and marriage, how little security have we when we trust our happiness in the hands of others!

There is a secret pride in every human heart that revolts at tyranny. You may order and drive an individual, but you cannot make him respect you.

The dupe of friendship, and the fool of love; have I not reason to hate and to despise myself? Indeed I do; and chiefly for not having hated and despised the world enough.

Even in the common affairs of life, in love, friendship, and marriage, how little security have we when we trust our happiness in the hands of others!

To think ill of mankind and not wish ill to them, is perhaps the highest wisdom and virtue.

Look up, laugh loud, talk big, keep the color in your cheek and the fire in your eye, adorn your person, maintain your health, your beauty and your animal spirits.

Do not keep on with a mockery of friendship after the substance is gone - but part, while you can part friends. Bury the carcass of friendship: it is not worth embalming.

Defoe says that there were a hundred thousand country fellows in his time ready to fight to the death against popery, without knowing whether popery was a man or a horse.

Look up, laugh loud, talk big, keep the color in your cheek and the fire in your eye, adorn your person, maintain your health, your beauty and your animal spirits.

The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.

The more we do, the more we can do.

The seat of knowledge is in the head; of wisdom, in the heart. We are sure to judge wrong, if we do not feel right.

Poetry is the universal language which the heart holds with nature and itself. He who has a contempt for poetry, cannot have much respect for himself, or for anything else.

Rules and models destroy genius and art.

It is not fit that every man should travel; it makes a wise man better, and a fool worse.

The seat of knowledge is in the head; of wisdom, in the heart. We are sure to judge wrong, if we do not feel right.

Grace in women has more effect than beauty.

Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves.

Hope is the best possession. None are completely wretched but those who are without hope. Few are reduced so low as that.

There are no rules for friendship. It must be left to itself. We cannot force it any more than love.

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.

An honest man speaks the truth, though it may give offence; a vain man, in order that it may.

If you think you can win, you can win. Faith is necessary to victory.

Few things tend more to alienate friendship than a want of punctuality in our engagements. I have known the breach of a promise to dine or sup to break up more than one intimacy.

Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity a greater.