William Shenstone Quotes
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The regard one shows economy, is like that we show an old aunt who is to leave us something at last.
[Economy]
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The vacant skull of a pedant generally furnishes out a throne and temple for vanity.
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The world may be divided into people that read, people that write, people that think, and fox-hunters.
[People]
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There are no persons more solicitous about the preservation of rank, than those who have no rank at all.
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There is nothing displays the quickness of genius more than a dispute - as two diamonds, encountering, contribute to each other's lustre. - But perhaps the odds is against the man of taste in this particular.
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There is nothing more universally commended than a fine day; the reason is that people can commend it without envy.
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There would not be any absolute necessity for reserve if the world were honest; yet even then it would prove expedient. For, in order to attain any degree of deference, it seems necessary that people should imagine you have more accomplishments than you discover.
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They begin with making falsehood appear like truth, and end with making truth itself appear like falsehood.
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Trifles discover a character more than actions of importance. In regard to the former, a person is off his guard, and thinks it not material to use disguise. It is no imperfect hint toward the discovery of a man's character to say he looks as though you might be certain of finding a pin upon his sleeve.
[Trifles]
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True honor is to honesty what the court of chancery is to common law.
[Honesty]
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Virtue seems to be nothing more than a motion consonant to the system of things; were a planet to fly from its orbit it would represent a vicious man.
[Vice]
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Virtues, like essences, lose their fragrance when exposed. They are sensitive plants, that will not bear too familiar approaches.
[Modesty]
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What leads to unhappiness, is making pleasure the chief aim.
[Pleasure]
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When misfortunes happen to such as dissent from us in matters of religion, we call them judgments; when to those of our own sect, we call them trials; when to persons neither way distinguished, we are content to attribute them to the settled course of things.
[Misfortune]
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When the spirits sink too low, the best cordial is to read over all the letters of one's friends.
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Zealous men are ever displaying to you the strength of their belief, while judicious men are showing you the grounds of it.
[Zeal]
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