William Hazlitt
William Hazlitt
William Hazlittwas an English writer, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English language, placed in the company of Samuel Johnson and George Orwell. He is also acknowledged as the finest art critic of his age. Despite his high standing among historians of literature and art, his work is currently little read and mostly out of print...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionCritic
Date of Birth10 April 1778
laughter feelings mind
Tears may be considered as the natural and involuntary resource of the mind overcome by some sudden and violent emotion, before ithas had time to reconcile its feelings to the change in circumstances: while laughter may be defined to be the same sort of convulsive and involuntary movement, occasioned by mere sur prise or contrast (in the absence of any more serious emotion), before it has time to reconcile its belief to contradictory appearances.
struggle passion mind
It is not the passion of a mind struggling with misfortune, or the hopelessness of its desires, but of a mind preying on itself, and disgusted with, or indifferent to all other things.
positive running men
The mind of man is like a clock that is always running down, and requires to be constantly wound up.
graves advantage should
A grave blockhead should always go about with a lively one - they show one another off to the best advantage.
hope lows hoping-for-the-best
Hope is the best possession. None are completely wretched but those who are without hope. Few are reduced so low as that.
thinking men young
No young man ever thinks he shall die.
honest politician born
It is hard for any one to be an honest politician who is not born and bred a Dissenter.
friendship faults
I like a friend the better for having faults that one can talk about.
pride names inheritance
Fame is the inheritance not of the dead, but of the living. It is we who look back with lofty pride to the great names of antiquity.
genius dandyism variety
Dandyism is a variety of genius.
thinking wish virtue
To think ill of mankind and not wish ill to them, is perhaps the highest wisdom and virtue.
memories poor contempt
To be remembered after we are dead, is but poor recompense for being treated with contempt while we are living.
birthday time age
To be happy, we must be true to nature and carry our age along with us.
idols may admiration
Though familiarity may not breed contempt, it takes off the edge of admiration.