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
hope expectations counting
The best part of our lives we pass in counting on what is to come.
leadership self-control command
Those who can command themselves command others.
thinking effectiveness wells
We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner of doing it.
book knowledge world
It is the vice of scholars to suppose that there is no knowledge in the world but that of books.
believe men animal
Man is a make-believe animal: he is never so truly himself as when he is acting a part.
men opinion great-men
No really great man ever thought himself so.
art feelings would-be
In art, in taste, in life, in speech, you decide from feeling, and not from reason ... If we were obliged to enter into a theoretical deliberation on every occasion before we act, life would be at a stand, and Art would be impracticable.
hypocrite sleep hypocrisy
We are not hypocrites in our sleep.
power knowing done
The definition of genius is that it acts unconsciously, and those who have produced immortal works have done so without knowing how or why.
political internet free-speech
When a thing ceases to be a subject of controversy, it ceases to be a subject of interest.
art deceived-us deception
Life is the art of being well deceived.
encouraging can-do busy-person
The more you do, the more you can do.
funny humor two
A hair in the head is worth two in the brush.
giving acting actors
If you give an audience a chance they will do half your acting for you.