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Charles Lamb

Charles Lamb Quotes

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Charles Lamb (February 10, 1775 - December 27, 1834) was an English writer known for his essays and literary criticism. Lamb is celebrated for his unique sense of humor and profound insights into everyday life. His most famous works include 'Elias Ward' and 'The Tales of a Grandfather'.

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Famous Charles Lamb Quotes

“It is well if the good man himself does not feel his devotions a little clouded, those foggy sensuous steams mingling with and polluting the pure altar surface.”

Ifs Men Feels Wells Littles Doe Pure Surface Devotion Good Man Altars Steam Sensuous Clouded Mingling

Author:Charles Lamb

“A man can never have too much Time to himself, nor too little to do. Had I a little son, I would christen him Nothing-To-Do; he should do nothing. Man, I verily believe, is out of his element as long as he is operative. I am altogether for the life contemplative.”

Men Should Believe Littles Long Too Much Son Elements Contemplative

Book:The Works of Charles Lamb

Source: The Works of Charles Lamb

“Ceremony is an invention to take off the uneasy feeling which we derive from knowing ourselves to be less the object of love and esteem with a fellow-creature than some other person is. It endeavours to make up, by superior attentions in little points, for that invidious preference which it is forced to deny in the greater.”

Littles Persons Feelings Attention Knowing Greater Objects Creatures Fellows Deny Invention Superiors Esteem Preference Ceremony Endeavour Uneasy Uneasy Feelings

Author:Charles Lamb

“Merit, God knows, is very little rewarded.”

Knows Littles Merit God Knows

Book:The life and letters

Source: The life and letters

“My motto is: Contented with little, yet wishing for more.”

Littles Wish Contentment Anticipation Motto My Motto

Book:The letters of Charles Lamb, with a sketch of his life. The poetical works

Source: The letters of Charles Lamb, with a sketch of his life. The poetical works

“A man may do very well with a very little knowledge, and scarce be found out in mixed company; everybody is so much more ready to produce his own, than to call for a display of your acquisitions.”

Men Wells May Littles Found Company Knowledge Produce Ready Display Acquisition Scarce Little Knowledge

Book:Works, with a Sketch of His Life and Final Memorials

Source: Works, with a Sketch of His Life and Final Memorials

“Science has succeeded to poetry, no less in the little walks of children than with men. Is there no possibility of averting this sore evil?”

Men Children Littles Science Evil Walks Possibility Accounts

Book:The Works of Charles Lamb: To which are Prefixed, His Letters, and a Sketch of His Life

Source: The Works of Charles Lamb: To which are Prefixed, His Letters, and a Sketch of His Life

“There was a little man, and he had a little soul; And he said, Little Soul, let us try, try, try!”

Men Trying Littles Said Soul Little Man

Author:Charles Lamb

“When I consider how little of a rarity children are -- that every street and blind alley swarms with them -- that the poorest people commonly have them in most abundance -- that there are few marriages that are not blest with at least one of these bargains -- how often they turn out ill, and defeat the fond hopes of their parents, taking to vicious courses, which end in poverty, disgrace, the gallows, etc. -- I cannot for my life tell what cause for pride there can possibly be in having them.”

Source: The Essays of Elia and Eliana

“Why are we never quite at ease in the presence of a schoolmaster? Because we are conscious that he is not quite at his ease in ours. He is awkward, and out of place in the society of his equals. He comes like Gulliver from among his little people, and he cannot fit the stature of his understanding to yours.”

People Littles Understanding Education Teacher Teaching Fit Conscious Ease Awkward Never Quit Stature Gulliver

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Charles and Mary Lamb (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Charles and Mary Lamb (Illustrated)

“So near are the boundaries of panegyric and invective, that a worn-out sinner is sometimes found to make the best declaimer against sin. The same high-seasoned descriptions which in his unregenerate state served to inflame his appetites, in his new province of a moralist will serve him (a little turned) to expose the enormity of those appetites in other men.”

Men Littles Sometimes States Found Sin Boundaries Description Sinner Appetite Worn Provinces Worn Out Moralist

Book:Works, with a Sketch of His Life and Final Memorials

Source: Works, with a Sketch of His Life and Final Memorials