Charles Caleb Colton
Charles Caleb Colton
Charles Caleb Coltonwas an English cleric, writer and collector, well known for his eccentricities...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionWriter
two debt possession
There are two things that bestow consequence; great possession, or great debts.
littles wealth rich
The rich are more envied by those who have a little, than by those who have nothing.
slumber virtue villainy
Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.
two firsts quarrels
Two things, well considered, would prevent many quarrels: first, to have it well ascertained whether we are not disputing about terms, rather than things; and, secondly, to examine whether that on which we differ is worth contending about.
dirty men lawyer
If you cannot avoid a quarrel with a blackguard, let your lawyer manage it, rather than yourself. No man sweeps his own chimney, but employs a chimney-sweeper, who has no objection to dirty work, because it is his trade.
strong mind haste
Hurry is the mark of a weak mind, dispatch of a strong one.
regret done probability
We often regret we did not do otherwise, when that very otherwise would, in all probability, have done for us.
gratitude revenge punctual
Revenge is a much more punctual paymaster than gratitude
design soul enemy
Secrecy is the soul of all great designs. Perhaps more has been effected by concealing our own intentions than by discovering those of our enemy.
light israel fire
Secrecy of design, when combined with rapidity of execution, like me column that guided Israel in the deserts, becomes the guardian pillar of light and fire to our friends, a cloud of overwhelming and impenetrable darkness to our enemies.
beautiful temptation use
A beautiful woman, if poor, should use double circumspection; for her beauty will tempt others, her poverty herself.
deceiving-others deception ends
It is best, if possible, to deceive no one; for he that ... begins by deceiving others, will end ... by deceiving himself.
player games profound
As in the game of billiards, the balls are constantly producing effects from mere chance, which the most skillful player could neither execute nor foresee, but which, when they do happen, serve mainly to teach him how much he has still to learn; so it is in the most profound and complicated game of politics and diplomacy. In both cases, we can only regulate our play by what we have seen, rather than by what we have hoped; and by what we have experienced, rather than by what we have expected.
good-life two evil
Of two evils, it is perhaps less injurious to society, that good doctrine should be accompanied by a bad life, than that a good life should lend its support to a bad doctrine.