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
body imagination life outset
At the outset of life . . . our imagination has a body to it.
clock constantly man mind requires running wound
The mind of man is like a clock that is always running down, and requires constantly to be wound up
alone civilization english exist french germans giving irish italians offense reserved scotch seem spaniards taking
The Irish are hearty, the Scotch plausible, the French polite, the Germans good-natured, the Italians courtly, the Spaniards reserved and decorous - the English alone seem to exist in taking and giving offense
affairs confined daily men motives opportunity rest small study understanding
The thing is plain. All that men really understand, is confined to a very small compass; to their daily affairs and experience; to what they have an opportunity to know, and motives to study or practice. The rest is affectation and imposture.
english-critic great himself man truly
No truly great man ever thought himself so.
attentions ceremony paying people receive return shall soon tired toward treated
If we use no ceremony toward others, we shall be treated without any. People are soon tired of paying trifling attentions to those who receive them with coldness, and return them with neglect.
ancient dark modern power separates shore stood
He stood bewildered, not appalled, on that dark shore which separates the ancient and the modern world. . . . He is power, passion, self-will personified.
earnest honesty others persuade
Honesty is one part eloquence. We persuade others by being in earnest ourselves.
barren beyond cold combined coming distant edge faint feeling hear hill imaginary manner mind rocks seems shelter sound together top warm whistle woody
If from the top of a long cold barren hill I hear the distant whistle of a thrush which seems to come up from some warm woody shelter beyond the edge of the hill, this sound coming faint over the rocks with a mingled feeling of strangeness and joy, the idea of the place about me, and the imaginary one beyond will all be combined together in such a manner in my mind as to become inseparable.
appearance confidence contribute courage delight devotion extreme favor road sure toward wants women
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.
humanity
Genius, like humanity, rusts for the want of use
alone conceive custom gives stamp words worse
I conceive that words are like money, not the worse for being common, but that it is the stamp of custom alone that gives them circulation or value.
english-critic faults friend talk
I like a friend better for having faults that one can talk about.
english-critic faith necessary
If you think you can win, you can. Faith is necessary to victory.