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
contented estimated generality instead mankind possess
The generality of mankind are contented to be estimated by what they possess instead of what they are.
fields nature
The fields his study, nature was his book.
inn striking
The incognito of an inn is one of its striking privileges.
advantage best blockhead grave lively
A grave blockhead should always go about with a lively one -- they show one another off to the best advantage.
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A grave blockhead should always go about with a lively one they shew one another off to the best advantage.
life poetry worth
All that is worth remembering of life is the poetry of it
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The truly proud man knows neither superiors nor inferiors. The first he does not admit of; the last he does not concern himself about.
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The truly proud man is satisfied with his own good opinion, and does not seek to make converts to it.
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Amsterdam did not answer our expectations; it is a kind of paltry, rubbishy Venice
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Comedy naturally wears itself out -- destroys the very food on which it lives; and by constantly and successfully exposing the follies and weaknesses of mankind to ridicule, in the end leaves itself nothing worth laughing at.
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Rules and models destroy genius and art.
mind looks forget
A great mind is one that can forget or look beyond itself.
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To be capable of steady friendship or lasting love, are the two greatest proofs, not only of goodness of heart, but of strength of mind.
love disappointment passion
People try to reconcile you to a disappointment in love by asking why you should cherish a passion for an object that has proved itself worthless. Had you known this before, you would not have encouraged the passion; but that having been once formed, knowledge does not destroy it. If we have drank poison, finding it out does not prevent its being in our veins: so passion leaves its poison in the mind!