Quotes by Hazlitt, William

"A full-dressed ecclesiastic is a sort of go-cart of divinity; an ethical automaton. A clerical prig is, in general, a very dangerous as well as contemptible character. The utmost that those who thus habitually confound their opinions and sentiments with the outside coverings of their bodies can aspire to, is a negative and neutral character, like wax-work figures, where the dress is done as much to the life as the man, and where both are respectable pieces of pasteboard, or harmless compositions of fleecy hosiery."

Hazlitt, William on churches   

"Comedy naturally wears itself out -- destroys the very food on which it lives; and by constantly and successfully exposing the follies and weaknesses of mankind to ridicule, in the end leaves itself nothing worth laughing at."

Hazlitt, William on comedy and comedians   

"A grave blockhead should always go about with a lively one -- they show one another off to the best advantage."

Hazlitt, William on company   

"The confession of our failings is a thankless office. It savors less of sincerity or modesty than of ostentation. It seems as if we thought our weaknesses as good as other people's virtues."

Hazlitt, William on confession   

"As is our confidence, so is our capacity."

Hazlitt, William on confidence   

"When a thing ceases to be a subject of controversy, it ceases to be a subject of interest."

Hazlitt, William on controversy
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"We are all of us, more or less, the slaves of opinion."

Hazlitt, William on cooperation   

"Gallantry to women -- the sure road to their favor -- is nothing but the appearance of extreme devotion to all their wants and wishes, a delight in their satisfaction, and a confidence in yourself as being able to contribute toward it."

Hazlitt, William on courage   

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

Hazlitt, William on courage   

"There is a heroism in crime as well as in virtue. Vice and infamy have their altars and their religion."

Hazlitt, William on crime and criminals   

"Without the aid of prejudice and custom, I should not be able to find my way across the room."

Hazlitt, William on custom   

"Death cancels everything but truth; and strips a man of everything but genius and virtue. It is a sort of natural canonization. It makes the meanest of us sacred --it installs the poet in his immortality, and lifts him to the skies. Death is the greatest assayer of the sterling ore of talent. At his touch the dropsy particles fall off, the irritable, the personal, the gross, and mingle with the dust --the finer and more ethereal part mounts with winged spirit to watch over our latest memory, and protect our bones from insult. We consign the least worthy qualities to oblivion, and cherish the nobler and imperishable nature with double pride and fondness."

Hazlitt, William on death   

"Our repugnance to death increases in proportion to our consciousness of having lived in vain."

Hazlitt, William on death