Home / Authors / William Shenstone

William Shenstone Quotes

Poet

William Shenstone was an English poet, born on November 18, 1714, and died on February 11, 1763. His poetry is known for its fresh and natural style and its depiction of rural life.

Filter quotes by topic

All Persons Men May Littles People Ifs Seems Should Honest Taste Deference Doe Mean Writing Bears Character Connected Dresses Fool Found

Famous William Shenstone Quotes

“Hope is a flatterer, but the most upright of all parasites; for she frequents the poor man's hut, as well as the palace of his superior.”

Men Wells Hope Poor Superiors Palaces Poor Man Parasites Huts Flatterer

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“To one who said, "I do not believe that there is an honest man in the world," another replied, "It is impossible that any one man should know all the world, but quite possible that one may know himself."”

Knows Men World Should Believe May Said Lying Impossible Honest Deceit One Man Dishonesty Honest Man

Author:William Shenstone

“A man of remarkable genius may afford to pass by a piece of wit, if it happen to border on abuse. A little genius is obliged to catch at every witticism indiscriminately.”

Ifs Men May Littles Happens Pieces Genius Abuse Wit Borders Remarkable Obliged

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“Some men are called sagacious, merely on account of their avarice; whereas a child can clench its fist the moment it is born.”

Men Children Moments Born Accounts Fists Avarice

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“It is true there is nothing displays a genius, I mean a quickness of genius, more than a dispute; as two diamonds, encountering, contribute to each other's luster. But perhaps the odds is much against the man of taste in this particular.”

Men Mean Two Particular He Man Genius Taste Display Diamond Odds Disputes Quickness Luster

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“Prudent men lock up their motives, letting familiars have a key to their hearts, as to their garden.”

Men Heart Keys Garden Motive Locks Prudent Lock Up

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“The difference there is betwixt honor and honesty seems to be chiefly the motive; the mere honest man does that from duty which the man of honor does for the sake of character.”

Men Doe Character Seems Differences Honest Honesty He Man Duty Honor Mere Sake Motive Honest Man

Author:William Shenstone

“Men are sometimes accused of pride, merely because their accusers would be proud themselves were they in their places.”

Men Sometimes Would Be Pride Proud Be Proud Accused Accusers

Author:William Shenstone

“When self-interest inclines a man to print, he should consider that the purchaser expects a pennyworth for his penny, and has reason to asperse his honesty if he finds himself deceived.”

Ifs Men Should Book Self Reason Interest Honesty Print Deceived Self Interest Pennies Incline Purchasers

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“Men of quality never appear more amiable than when their dress is plain. Their birth, rank, title and its appendages are at best indivious and as they do not need the assistance of dress, so, by their disclaiming the advantage of it, they make their superiority sit more easy.”

Men Needs Easy Quality Birth Advantage Dresses Titles Superiority Assistance Amiable

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“The most reserved of men, that will not exchange two syllables together in an English coffee-house, should they meet at Ispahan, would drink sherbet and eat a mess of rice together.”

Men Should Two Together House Drink Coffee Mess Sympathy Rice Reserved Syllables Coffee Houses Sherbet

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“A miser grows rich by seeming poor. An extravagant man grows poor by seeming rich.”

Men Grows Poor Money Rich Seeming Extravagant Misers

Book:Essays on men and manners; with aphorisms, criticisms, impromptus, fragments, etc

Source: Essays on men and manners; with aphorisms, criticisms, impromptus, fragments, etc

“Some men use no other means to acquire respect than by insisting on it; and it sometimes answers their purpose, as it does a highwayman's in regard to money.”

Men Mean Doe Sometimes Use Purpose Answers Respect Regard Acquire Insisting Highwaymen

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners

“Zealous men are ever displaying to you the strength of their belief. while judicious men are showing you the grounds of it.”

Men Belief Zeal Zealous

Book:Essays on men and manners; with aphorisms, criticisms, impromptus, fragments, etc

Source: Essays on men and manners; with aphorisms, criticisms, impromptus, fragments, etc

“A man has generally the good or ill qualities which he attributes to mankind.”

Men Life Success Quality Mankind Judgment Ill Attributes

Book:Essays on Men and Manners

Source: Essays on Men and Manners