45 quotes
He had been used to that greatest of mental pleasures — to have his thoughts often divined — always entered into.
Romance and Reality (1831)
We hope, plan, execute; will it be vain?
Or will the future be the past again?
Romance and Reality (1831)
How much we give to thoughts and things our tone-painting,
And judge of others' feelings by our own!
Romance and Reality (1831)
It is amazing how oppressive is the cleverness of some people, as if it were quite a duty in you to be clever too—
Romance and Reality (1831)
Wisdom is only knowledge well applied.
Romance and Reality (1831)
You resemble those political economists who, if they see a paragraph in the paper one day rejoicing over the country's prosperity, examine its columns to see what new tax is to be suggested.
Romance and Reality (1831)
Whenever I hear a man talking of the advantages of our ill-used sex, I look upon it as the prelude to some new act of authority.
Romance and Reality (1831)
The pleasure of change is opposed by that of habit ; and if we love best that to which we are accustomed, we like best that which is new.
Romance and Reality (1831)
Politeness, however, acts the lady's-maid to our thoughts ; and they are washed, dressed, curled, rouged, and perfumed, before they are presented to the public
Romance and Reality (1831)
Affection exaggerates its own offences.
Romance and Reality (1831)
All sweeping assertions are erroneous.
Romance and Reality (1831)
Many were the disguises he assumed. At one time he even meditated cutting off his mustaches ; — that would have been "the unkindest cut of all.”
Romance and Reality (1831)
… and French and Italian were, it must be owned, somewhat unnecessary to one who considered her own language an unnecessary fatigue.
Romance and Reality (1831)
… we like and require truth — always supposing and allowing that the said truth interferes neither with our interests nor our inclinations.
Romance and Reality (1831)
If this city system of colonisation goes on, our children will advertise a green tree, like an elephant, as 'this most wonderful production of nature;' and the meaning of green grass will only be to be found in the dictionary.
Romance and Reality (1831)
The human heart is like Pandora's box — only it is hatred, not hope, that lies curled up at the bottom. It is well we are little in the habit of analysing our common and passing sensations, — we should be horror-struck at our own quantity of hate.
Romance and Reality (1831)
... for our English grumbling is equally distributed between the weather and politics, and the case would be desperate when confined to the last.
Romance and Reality (1831)
One would think that an unsuccessful volume was like a degree in the school of reviewing. One unread work makes the judge bitter enough; but a second failure, and he is quite desperate in his damnation.
Romance and Reality (1831)
What! still retaining your Utopian visions of female felicity? To talk of our happiness! — ours, the ill-used and oppressed! You remind me of the ancient tyrant, who, seeing his slaves sink under the weight of their chains, said 'Do look at the indolent repose of those people!'
Romance and Reality (1841)
We would liken music to Aladdin’s lamp — worthless in itself, not so for the spirits which obey its call. We love it for the buried hopes, the garnered memories, the tender feelings, it can summon with a touch.
Romance and Reality (1831)