Charles Caleb Colton Quotes - Page 12

• None of us are so much praised or censured as we think.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Thinking, Vanity

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.216

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• It is far better to borrow experience than to buy it.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Experience

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.30

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• Courage is generosity of the highest order, for the brave are prodigal of the most precious things.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Order, Generosity, Brave

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.157

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• Custom looks to things that are past, and fashion to things that are present, but both of them are somewhat purblind as to things that are to come.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Fashion, Past, Looks

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.232

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• Secrecy is the soul of all great designs.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Design, Soul, Secrecy

  Charles Caleb Colton (1812). “Hypocrisy: A Satire”, p.167

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• Secrecy of design, when combined with rapidity of execution, like me column that guided Israel in the deserts, becomes the guardian pillar of light and fire to our friends, a cloud of overwhelming and impenetrable darkness to our enemies.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Fire, Clouds, Light

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• To look back to antiquity is one thing, to go back to it is another.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Time, Past, Looks

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”

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• All poets pretend to write for immortality, but the whole tribe have no objection to present pay and present praise.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Writing, Pay, Tribes

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.25

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• Light, whether it be material or moral, is the best reformer.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Light, Moral, Materials

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.421

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• There are circumstances of peculiar difficulty and danger, where a mediocrity of talent is the most fatal quantum that a man can possibly possess. Had Charles the First and Louis the Sixteenth been more wise or more weak, more firm or more yielding, in either case they had both of them saved their heads.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Wise, Men, Peculiar

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.96

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• It is far more easy to acquire a fortune like a knave, than to expend it, like a gentleman.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Gentleman, Knaves, Wealth

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.213

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• As there are none so weak that we may venture to injure them with impunity, so there are none so low that they may not at some time be able to repay an obligation. Therefore, what benevolence would dictate, prudence would confirm.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  May, Venture, Able

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.37

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• She is deceitful as the calm that precedes the hurricane, smooth as the water on the verge of the cataract, and beautiful as the rainbow, that smiling daughter of the storm; but, like the mirage in the desert, she tantalizes us with a delusion that distance creates, and that contiguity destroys.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Daughter, Rainbow, Storm

  "Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan".

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• Logic and metaphysics make use of more tools than all the rest of the sciences put together, and do the least work.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Together, Tools, Use

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.231

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• It has been observed that a dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant will see farther than the giant himself; and the moderns, standing as they do on the vantage ground of former discoveries and uniting all the fruits of the experience of their forefathers, with their own actual observation, may be admitted to enjoy a more enlarged and comprehensive view of things than the ancients themselves.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Knowledge, Dwarves, Discovery

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.203

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• Truth can hardly be expected to adapt herself to the crooked policy and wily sinuosities of worldly affairs; for truth, like light, travels only in straight lines.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Truth, Light, Lines

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”

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• Gold is worshipped in all climates, without a single temple, and by all classes, without a single hypocrite.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Hypocrite, Class, Gold

  Charles Caleb Colton (1849). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words: Address--to Those who Think”, p.124

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• Where we cannot invent, we may at least improve; we may give somewhat of novelty to that which was old, condensation to that which was diffuse, perspicuity to that which was obscure, and currency to that which was recondite.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Giving, May, Novelty

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.14

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• We should have a glorious conflagration, if all who cannot put fire into their works would only consent to put their works into the fire.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Writing, Fire, Should Have

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.9

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• Accustom yourself to submit on all and every occasion, and on the most minute, no less than on the most important circumstances of life, to a small present evil, to obtain a greater distant good. This will give decision, tone, and energy to the mind, which, thus disciplined, will often reap victory from defeat and honor from repulse.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Evil, Giving, Decision

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.208

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• Great minds had rather deserve contemporaneous applause without obtaining it, than obtain without deserving it. If it follow them it is well, but they will not deviate to follow it.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Greatness, Deserving It, Mind

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.15

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• The soundest argument will produce no more conviction in an empty head than the most superficial declamation; as a feather and a guinea fall with equal velocity in a vacuum.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Fall, Vacuums, Velocity

  Charles Caleb Colton (1849). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words: Address--to Those who Think”, p.5

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• Those who bequeath unto themselves a pompous funeral, are at just so much expense to inform the world of something that had much better be concealed; namely, that their vanity has survived themselves.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Vanity, Funeral, World

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.233

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• When the air balloon was first discovered, some one flippantly asked Dr. Franklin what was the use of it. The doctor answered this question by asking another: "What is the use of a new-born infant? It may become a man."

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Men, Doctors, Air

  Charles Caleb Colton (1823). “Remarks on the Talents of Lord Byron and the Tendencies of Don Juan”, p.177

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• My lowest days as a Christian have been more fulfilling and rewarding than all the days of glory in the White House.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Christian, White, House

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