Charles Caleb Colton Quotes - Page 18

• No two things differ more than hurry and despatch. Hurry is the mark of a weak mind; despatch of a strong one.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Strong, Two, Mind

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.176

  7 Copy quote

• Revenge is a debt, in the paying of which the greatest knave is honest and sincere, and, so far as he is able, punctual.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Revenge, Debt, Knaves

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.124

  7 Copy quote

• There are three difficulties in authorship; to write any thing worth the publishing — to find honest men to publish it — and to get sensible men to read it.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Writing, Men, Three

  "Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think".

  19 Copy quote

• He that will often put eternity and the world before him, and who will dare to look steadfastly at both of them, will find that the more often he contemplates them, the former will grow greater, and the latter less.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Looks, World, Eternity

  Charles Caleb Colton (1821). “Lacon: or, Many things in few words”, p.198

  7 Copy quote

• The cynic who twitted Aristippus by observing that the philosopher who could dine on herbs might despise the company of a king, was well replied to by Aristippus, when he remarked that the philosopher who could enjoy the company or a king might also despise a dinner of herbs.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Kings, Dinner, Might

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.134

  4 Copy quote

• When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into vice, none appear to do so. He that stops first, views as from a fixed point the horrible extravagance that transports the rest.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Running, Moving, Views

  Charles Caleb Colton (1828). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words Addressed to Those who Think”, p.39

  4 Copy quote

• Custom is the law of one description of fools, and fashion of another; but the two parties often clash--for precedent is the legislator of the first, and novelty of the last. Custom, therefore, looks to things that are past, and fashion to things that are present.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Fashion, Party, Past

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

  4 Copy quote

• The consequences of things are not always proportionate to the apparent magnitude of those events that have produced them. Thus the American Revolution, from which little was expected, produced much; but the French Revolution, from which much was expected, produced little.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Events, Littles, Revolution

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.115

  21 Copy quote

• Criticism is like champagne, nothing more execrable if bad, nothing more excellent if good; if meagre, muddy, vapid and sour, both are fit only to engender colic and wind; but if rich, generous and sparkling, they communicate a genial glow to the spirits, improve the taste, and expand the heart.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Heart, Wind, Criticism

  Charles Caleb Colton (1866). “Lacon: or, Many things in few words”, p.55

  8 Copy quote

• If you would be known, and not know, vegetate in a village; if you would know, and not be known, live in a city.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Cities, Would Be, Literature

  'Lacon' (1820) vol. 1, no. 334

  24 Copy quote

• Sincerely to aspire after virtue, is to gain her; and zealously to labour after her wages, is to receive them.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Wages, Gains, Virtue

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.36

  7 Copy quote

• It is an easy and vulgar thing to please the mob, and no very arduous task to astonish them.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Tasks, Advertising, Easy

  Charles Caleb Colton (1832). “Lacon: Or Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.210

  4 Copy quote

• It is astonishing how much more anxious people are to lengthen life than to improve it; and as misers often lose large sums of money in attempting to make more, so do hypochondriacs squander large sums of time in search of nostrums by which they vainly hope they may get more time to squander.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  People, May, Medical

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

  9 Copy quote

• Envy ought to have no place allowed it in the hearts of people; for the goods of this present world are so vile and low that they are beneath it; and those of the future world are so vast and exalted that they are above it.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Heart, People, Envy

  6 Copy quote

• Those that will not permit their wealth to do any good for others. . . cut themselves off from the truest pleasure here and the highest happiness later.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Cutting, Giving, Wealth

  4 Copy quote

• Repartee is perfect when it effects its purpose with a double edge. It is the highest order of wit, as it indicates the coolest yet quickest exercise of genius, at a moment when the passions are roused.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Passion, Exercise, Order

  7 Copy quote

• We ought not to be over-anxious to encourage innovation in cases of doubtful improvement, for an old system must ever have two advantages over a new one; it is established, and it is understood.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Inspirational, Two, Innovation

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.218

  4 Copy quote

• They that are loudest in their threats are the weakest in the execution of them. It is probable that he who is killed by lightning hears no noise; but the thunder-clap which follows, and which most alarms the ignorant, is the surest proof of their safety.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Safety, Ignorant, Execution

  7 Copy quote

• If we look backwards to antiquity it should be as those that are winning a race.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Winning, Race, Looks

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

  4 Copy quote

• Religion has treated knowledge sometimes as an enemy, sometimes as a hostage; often as a captive and more often as a child; but knowledge has become of age, and religion must either renounce her acquaintance, or introduce her as a companion and respect her as a friend.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Children, Knowledge, Enemy

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

  4 Copy quote

• In all countries where nature does the most, man does the least.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Country, Men, Climate

  Philip Dormer Stanhope (4th earl of Chesterfield.), Charles Caleb Colton (1861). “Lord Chesterfield's advice to his son on men and manners. To which are added, selections from Colton's 'Lacon'.”, p.180

  4 Copy quote

• The seat of perfect contentment is in the head; for every individual is thoroughly satisfied with his own proportion of brains.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Knowledge, Perfect, Brain

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.92

  4 Copy quote

• In great cities men are more callous both to the happiness and the misery of others, than in the country; for they are constantly in the habit of seeing both extremes.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Country, Sadness, Men

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.356

  4 Copy quote

• He that sympathizes in all the happiness of others, perhaps himself enjoys the safest happiness.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Enjoy

  Charles Caleb Colton (1836). “Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Addressed to Those who Think”, p.33

  4 Copy quote

• There are some frauds so well conducted that it would be stupidity not to be deceived by them.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Stupid, Would Be, Fraud

  Charles Caleb Colton (1824). “Lacon, Or, Many Things in a Few Words: Addressed to Those who Think”, p.60

  33 Copy quote

You May Also Like:

John Churton Collins

George William Curtis

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Sun Tzu

O. Henry

Clarence Budington Kelland

James Ramsey Ullman

Soren Kierkegaard