Dullness Quotes

• He is not only dull himself, but the cause of dulness in others.

  Samuel Johnson

  Stupid, People, Intelligence

  James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1859). “The Life of Samuel Johnson”, p.127

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• Resolve to perform what you ought;
  perform without fail what you resolve.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Priorities, Advice, Failing

  Benjamin Franklin, William-Temple Franklin (1818). “Memoirs of the Life and Writings of (the Same), Continued to the Time of His Death by William Temple Franklin. - London, H. Colburn 1818”, p.68

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• Order - Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Order, Moral Perfection

  Benjamin Franklin (2008). “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”, p.126, Applewood Books

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• Silence - Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Silence, Benefits, May

  Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin (1818). “Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin ...”, p.68

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• The dullness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits.

  William Shakespeare

  Fool, You Like It, Wit

  William Shakespeare, Juliet Dusinberre (2006). “As You Like It: Third Series”, p.163, Cengage Learning EMEA

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• Dullness is a misdemeanour.

  Ethel Wilson

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• Dullness is the coming of age of seriousness.

  Oscar Wilde

  Age, Seriousness, Coming Of Age

  Oscar Wilde, Isobel Murray (1999). “The Soul of Man, and Prison Writings”, p.10, Oxford University Press, USA

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• Authors have established it as a kind of rule, that a man ought to be dull sometimes; as the most severe reader makes allowances for many rests and nodding-places in a voluminous writer.

  Joseph Addison

  Kindness, Men, Dull

  Joseph Addison, Sir Richard Steele (1853). “The Spectator”, p.160

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• He was dull in a new way, and that made many think him great.

  Samuel Johnson

  Greatness, Thinking, Dull

  Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) (entry for 28 Mar. 1775)

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• The dullard finds even wine tasteless, while the sorcerer is intoxicated by the mere sight of water.

  Hakim Bey

  Wine, Sight, Water

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• It is to beoted that when any part of this paper appears dull there is a design in it.

  Richard Steele

  Design, Paper, Dull

  'The Tatler' no. 38 (7 July 1709)

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• Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Hope, Wisdom, Integrity

  Benjamin Franklin (1818). “Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin ..., 1”, p.129

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• So, with their usual sense of justice, ladies argue that because a woman is handsome, therefore she is a fool. O ladies, ladies! there are some of you who are neither handsome nor wise.

  William Makepeace Thackeray

  Wise, Justice, Usual

  William Makepeace Thackeray (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray (Illustrated)”, p.929, Delphi Classics

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• Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Goodness, Expenses, Moral Perfection

  Benjamin Franklin, Jared Sparks (1848). “The Life of Benjamin Franklin: Containing the Autobiography, with Notes and a Continuation”, p.106

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• There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject; the only thing that can exist is an uninterested person.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Inspirational, Earth, Artistic Temperament

  Heretics (1905) ch. 3

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• To experience conflicts knowingly, though it may be distressing, can be an invaluable asset. The more we face our own conflicts and seek out our own solutions, the more inner freedom and strength we will gain. Only when we are willing to bear the brunt can we approximate the ideal of being the captain of our ship. Spurious tranquillity rooted in inner dullness is anything but enviable. It is bound to make us weak and an easy prey to any kind of influence.

  Karen Horney

  Faces, Bears, May

  Karen Horney (2013). “Our Inner Conflicts: A CONSTRUCTIVE THEORY OF NEUROSIS”, p.27, Routledge

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• Put a very clever man next to a genius, his brightness will immediately turn to dullness!

  Mehmet Murat Ildan

  Clever, Men, Brightness

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• Excess is part of my nature. Dullness is a disease. I really need danger and excitement. I'm never scared of putting myself out on a limb.

  Freddie Mercury

  Needs, Excess, Disease

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• Profundity easily turns into dullness and astuteness deteriorates into wit. Be guided by natural common sense and it will accommodate great and small.

  Franz Grillparzer

  Common Sense, Natural, Wit

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• Gentle dullness ever loves a joke.

  Alexander Pope

  Gentle, Jokes

  'The Dunciad' (1742) bk. 2, l. 34

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• A woman may possess the wisdom and chastity of Minerva, and we give no heed to her, if she has a plain face. What folly will not a pair of bright eyes make pardonable? What dullness may not red lips are sweet accents render pleasant? And so, with their usual sense of justice, ladies argue that because a woman is handsome, therefore she is a fool. O ladies, ladies! there are some of you who are neither handsome nor wise.

  William Makepeace Thackeray

  Wise, Sweet, Eye

  William Makepeace Thackeray (2017). “Vanity Fair”, p.321, Pan Macmillan

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• Dullness is the only crime for which an editor ought to be hung.

  Josephus Daniels

  Editors, Crime, Ought

  Josephus Daniels (1941). “Editor in Politics”

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• Discipline in typography is a prime virtue. Individuality must be secured by means that are rational. Distinction needs to be won by simplicity and restraint. It is equally true that these qualities need to be infused wiht a certain spirit and vitality, or they degenerate into dullness and mediocrity.

  Stanley Morison

  Mean, Discipline, Simplicity

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• The calm man is not the man who is dull. You must not mistake Sattva for dullness or laziness. The calm man is the one who has control over the mind waves. Activity is the manifestation of inferior strength, calmness, of the superior.

  Swami Vivekananda

  Mistake, Men, Mind

  Swami Vivekananda (2016). “Raja Yoga: Conquering the Internal Nature”, p.68, Advaita Ashrama

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