Charles Caleb Colton
Charles Caleb Colton
Charles Caleb Coltonwas an English cleric, writer and collector, well known for his eccentricities...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionWriter
men would-be genius
Neither can we admit that definition of genius that some would propose--"a power to accomplish all that we undertake;" for we might multiply examples to prove that this definition of genius contains more than the thing defined. Cicero failed in poetry, Pope in painting, Addison in oratory; yet it would be harsh to deny genius to these men.
children gambling parent
Gaming is the child of avarice, but the parent of prodigality.
gambling may succeed
Gaming has been resorted to by the affluent as a refuge from ennui. It is a mental dram, and may succeed for a moment; but, like all other stimuli, it produces indirect debility.
future men intellectual
If that marvellous microcosm, man, with all the costly cargo of his faculties and powers, were indeed a rich argosy, fitted out and freighted only for shipwreck and destruction, who amongst us that tolerate the present only from the hope of the future, who that have any aspirings of a high and intellectual nature about them, could be brought to submit to the disgusting mortifications of the voyage?
legacy rich treats
It has been well observed that we should treat futurity as an aged friend from whom we expect a rich legacy.
office funeral coffins
The only kind office performed for us by our friends of which we never complain is our funeral; and the only thing which we most want, happens to be the only thing we never purchase--our coffin.
thinking enemy frankness
He that openly tells, his friends all that he thinks of them, must expect that they will secretly tell his enemies much that they do not think of him.
knaves fool dangerous
A fool is often as dangerous to deal with as a knave, and always more incorrigible.
revenge humble doubt
There are some who affect a want of affectation, and flatter themselves that they are above flattery; they are proud of being thought extremely humble, and would go round the world to punish those who thought them capable of revenge; they are so satisfied of the suavity of their own temper that they would quarrel with their dearest benefactor only for doubting it.
fashion admiration indifference
A lady of fashion will sooner excuse a freedom flowing from admiration than a slight resulting from indifference.
expectations shining quality
Shining outward qualities, although they may excite first-rate expectations, are not unusually found to be the companions of second-rate abilities.
spirit purity spirit-of-god
Purity lives and derives its life solely from the Spirit of God.
men yesterday errors
The wisest man may be wiser to-day than he was yesterday, and to-morrow than he is to-day. Total freedom from change would imply total freedom from error; but this is the prerogative of Omniscience alone.
pride cutting animal
The most ridiculous of all animals is a proud priest; he cannot use his own tools without cutting his own fingers.