Quotes By Charles Caleb Colton

If we steal thoughts from the moderns, it will be cried down as plagiarism; if from the ancients, it will be cried up as erudition.

Did universal charity prevail, earth would be a heaven, and hell a fable.

Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away.

In religion as in politics it so happens that we have less charity for those who believe half our creed, than for those who deny the whole of it.

Times of great calamity and confusion have been productive for the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace. The brightest thunder-bolt is elicited from the darkest storm.

Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship - never.

Suicide sometimes proceeds from cowardice, but not always; for cowardice sometimes prevents it; since as many live because they are afraid to die, as die because they are afraid to live.

Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen. Like friends, too, we should return to them again and again for, like true friends, they will never fail us - never cease to instruct - never cloy.

There are two way of establishing a reputation, one to be praised by honest people and the other to be accused by rogues. It is best, however, to secure the first one, because it will always be accompanied by the latter.

Friendship, of itself a holy tie, is made more sacred by adversity.

That writer does the most who gives his reader the most knowledge and takes from him the least time.

There is this difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man, really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool.

The present time has one advantage over every other - it is our own.

The drafts which true genius draws upon posterity, although they may not always be honored so soon as they are due, are sure to be paid with compound interest in the end.

Constant success shows us but one side of the world; adversity brings out the reverse of the picture.

The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility.

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

We own almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed but to those who have differed.

Silence is foolish if we are wise, but wise if we are foolish.

In life we shall find many men that are great, and some that are good, but very few men that are both great and good.

True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.

Avarice has ruined more souls than extravagance.

The two most precious things this side of the grave are our reputation and our life. But it is to be lamented that the most contemptible whisper may deprive us of the one, and the weakest weapon of the other.

Contemporaries appreciate the person rather than their merit, posterity will regard the merit rather than the person.

He that has energy enough to root out a vice should go further, and try to plant a virtue in its place.

When millions applaud you seriously ask yourself what harm you have done; and when they disapprove you, what good.

There are three difficulties in authorship: to write anything worth publishing, to find honest men to publish it, and to find sensible men to read it.

War kills men, and men deplore the loss; but war also crushes bad principles and tyrants, and so saves societies.

We ask advice, but we mean approbation.

There are three modes of bearing the ills of life, by indifference, by philosophy, and by religion.