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Had I children, my utmost endeavors would be to make them musicians. By Horace Walpole Children Musicians Utmost Endeavors Make

The passions seldom give good advice but to the interested and mercenary. Resentment generally suggests bad measures. Second thoughts and good nature will rarely, very rarely, approve the first hints of anger. By Horace Walpole Mercenary Passions Seldom Give Advice

I come," replied he, "to thee, Manfred, usurper of the principality of Otranto, from the renowned and invincible Knight, the Knight of the Gigantic Sabre: in the name of his Lord, Frederic, Marquis of Vicenza, he demands the Lady Isabella, daughter of that Prince, whom thou hast basely and traitorously got into thy power, by bribing her false guardians during his absence; and he requires thee to resign the principality of Otranto, which thou hast usurped from the said Lord Frederic, the nearest of blood to the last rightful Lord, Alfonso the Good. If thou dost not instantly comply with these just demands, he defies thee to single combat to the last extremity. By Horace Walpole Lord Otranto Frederic Knight Principality

I have known several persons of great fame for wisdom in public affairs and councils governed by foolish servants. I have known great ministers, distinguished for wit and learning, who preferred none but dunces. I have known men of valor cowards to their wives. I have known men of cunning perpetually cheated. I knew three ministers who would exactly compute and settle the accounts of a kingdom, wholly ignorant of their own economy. By Horace Walpole Servants Great Persons Fame Wisdom

That strange premature genius Chatterton has couched in one line the quintessence of what Voltaire has said in many pages: Reason, a thorn in Revelation's side. By Horace Walpole Reason Chatterton Voltaire Revelation Pages

In the drawing room [of the Queen's palace] hung a Venus and Cupid by Michaelangelo, in which, instead of a bit of drapery, the painter has placed Cupid's foot between Venus's thighs. Queen Caroline asked General Guise, an old connoisseur, if it was not a very fine piece? He replied Madam, the painter was a fool, for he has placed the foot where the hand should be. By Horace Walpole Venus Cupid Michaelangelo Queen Room

Fashion is fortunately no law but to its devotees. By Horace Walpole Fashion Devotees Fortunately Law

Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda. Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda. Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza's daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad's infirm state of health would permit. By Horace Walpole Matilda Prince Otranto Manfred Son

My veracity is dearer to me than my life," said the peasant; "nor would I purchase the one by forfeiting the other. By Horace Walpole Life Peasant Veracity Dearer Purchase

Who has begun has half done. Have the courage to be wise. Begin! By Horace Walpole Begun Half Begin Wise Courage

The way to ensure summer in England is to have it framed and glazed in a comfortable room. By Horace Walpole England Room Ensure Summer Framed

A man of sense, though born without wit, often lives to have wit. His memory treasures up ideas and reflections; he compares themwith new occurrences, and strikes out new lights from the collision. The consequence is sometimes bons mots, and sometimes apothegms. By Horace Walpole Wit Sense Man Born Lives

The wisest prophets make sure of the event first. By Horace Walpole Wisest Prophets Make Event

We must cultivate our garden.Furia to God one day in seven allots;The other six to scandal she devotes.Satan, by false devotion never flammed,Bets six to one, that Furia will be damned. By Horace Walpole God Furia Allots Devotessatan Damned

It is difficult to divest one's self of vanity; because impossible to divest one's self of self-love. By Horace Walpole Divest Vanity Selflove Difficult Impossible

Two large prominent eyes that rolled about to no purpose (for he was utterly short-sighted) a wide mouth, thick lips and inflated visage, gave him the air of a blind trumpeter. A deep untuneable voice which, instead of modulating, he enforced with unnecsessary pomp, a total neglect of his person, and ignorance of every civil attention, disgusted all who judge by appearance. By Horace Walpole Purpose Shortsighted Mouth Thick Visage

I never found even in my juvenile hours that it was necessary to go a thousand miles in search of themes for moralizing. By Horace Walpole Moralizing Found Juvenile Hours Thousand

Nothing has shown more fully the prodigious ignorance of human ideas and their littleness, than the discovery of [Sir William] Herschell, that what used to be called the Milky Way is a portion of perhaps an infinite multitude of worlds! By Horace Walpole Herschell Sir William Milky Littleness

I can forgive injuries, but never benefits. By Horace Walpole Injuries Benefits Forgive

Serendipity ... You will understand it better by the derivation than by the definition. I once read a silly fairy tale, called 'The Three Princes of Serendip': as their Highnesses traveled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of. By Horace Walpole Serendipity Serendip Called Definition Princes

Art is the filigrain of a little mind, and is twisted and involved and curled, but would reach farther if laid out in a straight line. By Horace Walpole Art Mind Curled Line Filigrain

He was persuaded he could know no happiness but in the society of one with whom he could for ever indulge the melancholy that had taken possession of his soul. By Horace Walpole Soul Persuaded Happiness Society Indulge

Lawyers and rogues are vermin not easily rooted out of a rich soil. By Horace Walpole Lawyers Soil Rogues Vermin Easily

My soul abhors a falsehood By Horace Walpole Falsehood Soul Abhors

The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well. By Horace Walpole Secret Life Interested Profoundly Thousand

Perhaps those, who, trembling most, maintain a dignity in their fate, are the bravest: resolution on reflection is real courage. By Horace Walpole Trembling Maintain Fate Bravest Resolution

One's mind suffers only when one is young and while one is ignorant of the world. When one has lived for some time, one learns that the young think too little and the old too much, and one grows careless about both. By Horace Walpole World Young Mind Suffers Ignorant

It is natural for a translator to be prejudiced in favour of his adopted work. More impartial readers may not be so much struck with the beauties of this piece as I was. Yet I am not blind to my author's defects. By Horace Walpole Work Natural Translator Prejudiced Favour

The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think. By Horace Walpole Feel World Tragedy Comedy

Heaven mocks the short-sighted views of man. By Horace Walpole Heaven Man Mocks Shortsighted Views

The best philosophy is to do one's duties, take the world as it comes, submit respectfully to one's lot; bless the goodness that has given us so much happiness with it. By Horace Walpole Duties Submit Lot Bless Philosophy

[The] taste [of the French] is too timid to be true tasteor is but half taste. By Horace Walpole French Taste Timid True Tasteor

It was said of old Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, that she never puts dots over her I s, to save ink. By Horace Walpole Sarah Duchess Marlborough Ink Puts

We are largely the playthings of our fears. To one, fear of the dark; to another, of physical pain; to a third, of public ridicule; to a fourth, of poverty; to a fifth, of loneliness ... for all of us, our particular creature waits in ambush. By Horace Walpole Largely Playthings Fears Fear Dark

Virtue knows to a farthing what it has lost by not having been vice. By Horace Walpole Virtue Vice Farthing Lost

This life is but a pilgrimage. By Horace Walpole Pilgrimage Life

Let the French but have England, and they won't want to conquer it. By Horace Walpole England French Conquer

This is a bad world; nor have I had cause to leave it with regret. By Horace Walpole World Regret Bad Leave

The best sun we have is made of Newcastle coal, and I am determined never to reckon upon any other. By Horace Walpole Newcastle Coal Sun Made Determined

Serendipitous discoveries are made by chance, found without looking for them but possible only through a sharp vision and sagacity, ready to see the unexpected and never indulgent with the apparently unexplainable. By Horace Walpole Serendipitous Chance Found Sagacity Ready

There is no bombast, no similes, flowers, digressions, or unnecessary descriptions. Everything tends directly to the catastrophe. By Horace Walpole Flowers Digressions Bombast Similes Descriptions

When people will not weed their own minds, they are apt to be overrun by nettles. By Horace Walpole Minds Nettles People Weed Apt

By deafness one gains in one respect more than one loses; one misses more nonsense than sense. By Horace Walpole Loses Sense Deafness Gains Respect

It was easier to conquer it than to know what to do with it. By Horace Walpole Easier Conquer

This world is a comedy, not Life. By Horace Walpole Life Comedy World

What is called chance is the instrument of Providence and the secret agent that counteracts what men call wisdom, and preserves order and regularity, and continuation in the whole, for ... I firmly believe, notwithstanding all our complaints, that almost every person upon earth tastes upon the totality more happiness than misery; and therefore if we could correct the world to our fancies, and with the best intentions imaginable, probably we should only produce more misery and confusion. By Horace Walpole Providence Wisdom Regularity Called Chance

We often repent of our first thoughts, and scarce ever of our second. By Horace Walpole Thoughts Repent Scarce

It is charming to totter into vogue. By Horace Walpole Vogue Charming Totter

It amazes me when I hear any person prefer blindness to deafness. Such a person must have a terrible dread of being alone. Blindness makes one totally dependent on others, and deprives us of every satisfaction that results from light. By Horace Walpole Deafness Person Amazes Hear Prefer

A poet who makes use of a worse word instead of a better, because the former fits the rhyme or the measure, though it weakens the sense, is like a jeweller, who cuts a diamond into a brilliant, and diminishes the weight to make it shine more. By Horace Walpole Measure Sense Jeweller Brilliant Poet

The contempt of money is no more a virtue than to wash one's hand is one; but one does not willingly shake hands with a man that never washes his. By Horace Walpole Contempt Money Virtue Wash Willingly

Plot, rules, nor even poetry, are not half so great beauties in tragedy or comedy as a just imitation of nature, of character, of the passions and their operations in diversified situations. By Horace Walpole Plot Rules Poetry Nature Character

Shakespeare, with an improved education and in a more enlightened age, might easily have attained the purity and correction of Racine; but nothing leads one to suppose that Racine in a barbarous age would have attained the grandeur, force and nature of Shakespeare. By Horace Walpole Shakespeare Racine Attained Age Grandeur

I shun authors, and would never have been one myself, if it obliged me to keep such bad company. By Horace Walpole Authors Company Shun Obliged Bad

Our supreme governors, the mob. By Horace Walpole Governors Mob Supreme

In science, mistakes always precede the truth. By Horace Walpole Science Mistakes Truth Precede

Poetry is a beautiful way of spoiling prose, and the laborious art of exchanging plain sense for harmony. By Horace Walpole Poetry Prose Harmony Beautiful Spoiling

Life is a comedy to those who think and a tragedy for those who feel. By Horace Walpole Life Feel Comedy Tragedy

Life is a farce, and should not end with a mourning scene. By Horace Walpole Life Farce Scene End Mourning

At last some curious traveller from Lima will visit England, and give a description of the ruins of St. Paul's, like the editions of Baalbec and Palmyra. By Horace Walpole England Paul Palmyra Lima Baalbec

If a passion for freedom is not in vogue, patriots may sound the alarm till they are weary. The Act of Habeas Corpus, by which prisoners may insist on being brought to trial within a limited time, is the corner stone of our liberty. By Horace Walpole Vogue Patriots Weary Passion Freedom

There is nothing I hold so cheap as a learned man , except an unlearned one . By Horace Walpole Man Hold Cheap Learned Unlearned

Letters to absence can a voice impart, And lend a tongue when distance gags the heart. By Horace Walpole Letters Impart Heart Absence Voice

I fear no bad angel, and have offended no good one. By Horace Walpole Angel Fear Bad Offended Good

I look upon paradoxes as the impotent efforts of men who, not having capacity to draw attention and celebrity from good sense, fly to eccentricities to make themselves noted. By Horace Walpole Sense Fly Noted Paradoxes Impotent

I do not admire politicians; but when they are excellent in their way, one cannot help allowing them their due. By Horace Walpole Politicians Due Admire Excellent Allowing

The curse of modern times is, that almost everything does create controversy. By Horace Walpole Controversy Curse Modern Times Create

How posterity will laugh at us, one way or other! If half a dozen break their necks, and balloonism is exploded, we shall be called fools for having imagined it could be brought to use: if it should be turned to account, we shall be ridiculed for having doubted. By Horace Walpole Posterity Laugh Necks Exploded Account

But alas! my Lord, what is blood! what is nobility! We are all reptiles, miserable, sinful creatures. It is piety alone that can distinguish us from the dust whence we sprung, and whither we must return. By Horace Walpole Alas Lord Blood Miserable Nobility

Foolish writers and readers are created for each other. By Horace Walpole Foolish Writers Readers Created

Pedants make a great rout about criticism, as if it were a science of great depth, and required much pains and knowledgecriticism however is only the result of good sense, taste and judgmentthree qualities that indeed seldom are found together, and extremely seldom in a pedant, which most critics are. By Horace Walpole Great Seldom Criticism Depth Sense

Exercise is the worst thing in the world and as bad an invention as gunpowder. By Horace Walpole Exercise Gunpowder Worst Thing World

My aversion to them ... springs from the perniciousness of that sect to society-I hate Papists, as a man, not as a Protestant. If Papists were only enemies to the religion of other men, I should overlook their errors. As they are foes to liberty, I cannot forgive them. By Horace Walpole Papists Aversion Protestant Springs Man

Our bells are worn threadbare with ringing for victories By Horace Walpole Victories Bells Worn Threadbare Ringing

The whole [Scotch] nation hitherto has been void of wit and humour, and even incapable of relishing it. By Horace Walpole Scotch Nation Humour Hitherto Void

Old friends are the great blessings of one's later years. Half a word conveys one's meaning. They have a memory of the same events, have the same mode of thinking. I have young relations that may grow upon me, for my nature is affectionate, but can they grow To Be old friends? By Horace Walpole Years Great Blessings Friends Grow

All very ancient history, except that of the illuminated Jews, is a perfect fable. It was written by priests, or collected from their reports; and calculated solely to raise lofty ideas of the origin of each nation. Gods and demi-gods were the principal actors; and truth is seldom to be expected where the personages are supernatural. The Greek historians have no advantage over the Peruvian, but in the beauty of their language, or from that language being more familiar to us. Mango Capac, the son of the sun, is as authentic a founder of a royal race, as the progenitor of the Heraclidae. What truth indeed could be expected, when even the identity of person is uncertain? The actions of one were ascribed to many, and of many to one. It is not known whether there was a single Hercules or twenty. By Horace Walpole Jews History Fable Ancient Illuminated

I avoid talking before the youth of the age as I would dancing before them: for if one's tongue don't move in the steps of the day, and thinks to please by its old graces, it is only an object of ridicule. By Horace Walpole Day Graces Ridicule Avoid Talking

The next Augustan age will dawn on the other side of the Atlantic. There will, perhaps, be a Thucydides at Boston, a Xenophon at New York, and, in time, a Virgil at Mexico, and a Newton at Peru. At last, some curious traveler from Lima will visit England and give a description of the ruins of St Paul s, like the editions of Balbec and Palmyra. By Horace Walpole Atlantic Augustan Age Dawn Side

The prosecution of [Warren] Hastings, though he should escape at last, must have good effect. It will alarm the servants of the Company in India, that they may not always plunder with impunity, but that there may be a retrospect; and it will show them that even bribes of diamonds to the Crown may not secure them from prosecution. By Horace Walpole Warren Hastings Effect Prosecution Escape

[French] authors are more afraid of offending delicacy and rules, than ambitious of sublimity. By Horace Walpole French Authors Rules Sublimity Afraid

Of Ickworth's boys, their father's joys,There is but one a bad one;The tenth is he, the parson's fee,And indeed he is a sad one.No love of fame, no sense of shame,And a bad heart, let me tell ye:Without, all brass; within, all ass,And the puppy's name is Felly. By Horace Walpole Felly Bad Ickworth Boys Fame

The sure way of judging whether our first thoughts are judicious, is to sleep on them. If they appear of the same force the next morning as they did over night, and if good nature ratifies what good sense approves, we may be pretty sure we are in the right. By Horace Walpole Judicious Judging Thoughts Sleep Good

When the Prince of Piedmont [later Charles Emmanuel IV, King of Sardinia] was seven years old, his preceptor instructing him in mythology told him all the vices were enclosed in Pandora's box. "What! all!" said the Prince. "Yes, all." "No," said the Prince; "curiosity must have been without. By Horace Walpole Piedmont King Sardinia Charles Emmanuel

When the Prince of Wales [later King George IV] and the Duke of York went to visit their brother Prince William [later William IV]at Plymouth, and all three being very loose in their manners, and coarse in their language, Prince William said to his ship's crew, now I hope you see that I am not the greatest blackguard of my family. By Horace Walpole Prince William Wales Plymouth King

Lord Bath used to say of women, who are apt to say that they will follow their own judgment, that they could not follow a worse guide. By Horace Walpole Bath Lord Women Judgment Guide

I know that I have had friends who would never have vexed or betrayed me, if they had walked on all fours. By Horace Walpole Friends Vexed Betrayed Walked

A tragedy can never suffer by delay: a comedy may, because the allusions or the manners represented in it maybe temporary. By Horace Walpole Delay Temporary Tragedy Suffer Comedy

Fashion is always silly, for, before it can spread far, it must be calculated for silly people; as examples of sense, wit, or ingenuity could be imitated only by a few. By Horace Walpole Wit Fashion People Sense Silly

Two clergymen disputing whether ordination would be valid without the imposition of both hands, the more formal one said, Do you think the Holy Dove could fly down with only one wing? By Horace Walpole Holy Dove Hands Wing Clergymen

The gentle maid, whose hapless tale,these melancholy pages speak;say, gracious lady, shall she failTo draw the tear a down from thy cheek? By Horace Walpole Maid Speak Gracious Lady Cheek

Dr. Calder [a Unitarian minister] said of Dr. [Samuel] Johnson on the publications of Boswell and Mrs. Piozzi, that he was like Actaeon, torn to pieces by his own pack. By Horace Walpole Samuel Calder Johnson Piozzi Actaeon

When Shakespeare copied chroniclers verbatim, it was because he knew they were good enough for his audiences. In a more polished age he who could so move our passions, could surely have performed the easier task of satisfying our taste. By Horace Walpole Shakespeare Verbatim Audiences Copied Chroniclers

Our [British] summers are often, though beautiful for verdure, so cold, that they are rather cold winters. By Horace Walpole British Summers Verdure Winters Cold

I do not dislike the French from the vulgar antipathy between neighboring nations, but for their insolent and unfounded air of superiority. By Horace Walpole French Nations Superiority Dislike Vulgar

An ancient prophecy ... pronounced, That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it! By Horace Walpole Prophecy Ancient Pronounced Otranto Family

Historic justice is due to all characters. Who would not vindicate Henry the Eighth or Charles the Second, if found to be falsely traduced? Why then not Richard the Third? By Horace Walpole Historic Characters Justice Due Henry

I have sometimes seen women, who would have been sensible enough, if they would have been content not to be called women of sensebut by aiming at what they had not, they only proved absurdfor sense cannot be counterfeited. By Horace Walpole Women Counterfeited Content Called Sensebut

I sit with my toes in a brook, And if any one axes forwhy? I hits them a rap with my crook, For 'tis sentiment does it, says I. By Horace Walpole Brook Forwhy Sit Toes Axes

The Methodists love your big sinners, as proper subjects to work upon. By Horace Walpole Methodists Sinners Love Big Proper

One of the greatest geniuses that ever existed,Shakespeare, undoubtedly wanted taste. By Horace Walpole Existedshakespeare Undoubtedly Taste Greatest Geniuses

I desired you once before," said Manfred angrily, "not to name that woman: from this hour she must be a stranger to you, as she must be to me. In short, Isabella, since I cannot give you my son, I offer you myself. By Horace Walpole Manfred Angrily Woman Isabella Desired

Defaced ruins of architecture and statuary, like the wrinkles of decrepitude of a once beautiful woman, only make one regret that one did not see them when they were enchanting. By Horace Walpole Defaced Statuary Woman Enchanting Ruins

Oh that I were seated as high as my ambition, I'd place my naked foot on the necks of monarchs. By Horace Walpole Ambition Monarchs Seated High Place

Oh, we are ridiculous animals; and if the angels have any fun in them, how we must divert them! By Horace Walpole Animals Ridiculous Angels Fun Divert

Every drop of ink in my pen ran cold. By Horace Walpole Cold Drop Ink Pen Ran

Ponder, your comedies are woeful chaff:Write tragedies, when you would make us laugh. By Horace Walpole Ponder Write Chaff Tragedies Laugh

Mystery is the wisdom of blockheads. By Horace Walpole Mystery Blockheads Wisdom

I have known men of valor cowards to their wives. By Horace Walpole Wives Men Valor Cowards

Men are often capable of greater things than they perform. They are sent into the world with bills of credit, and seldom draw to their full extent. By Horace Walpole Men Perform Capable Greater Things

How much on outward show does all depend,If virtues from within no lustre lend!Strip off th'externals M and Y, the restProves Majesty itself is but a Jest. By Horace Walpole Strip Jest Majesty Lend Outward

Cunning is neither the consequence of sense, nor does it give sense. A proof that it is not sense, is that cunning people never imagine that others can see through them. It is the consequence of weakness. By Horace Walpole Sense Consequence Cunning Give Proof

A careless song, with a little nonsense in it now and then, does not mis-become a monarch. By Horace Walpole Song Monarch Careless Nonsense Misbecome

Justice is rather the activity of truth, than a virtue in itself. Truth tells us what is due to others, and justice renders that due. Injustice is acting a lie. By Horace Walpole Justice Truth Activity Virtue Due

Posterity always degenerates till it becomes our ancestors. By Horace Walpole Posterity Ancestors Degenerates Till

I firmly believe, notwithstanding all our complaints, that almost every person upon earth tastes upon the totality more happiness than misery. By Horace Walpole Notwithstanding Complaints Misery Firmly Person

Alexander at the head of the world never tasted the true pleasure that boys of his own age have enjoyed at the head of a school. By Horace Walpole Head Alexander School World Tasted

To act with common sense according to the moment, is the best wisdom I know. By Horace Walpole Moment Act Common Sense Wisdom

Without grace no book can live, and with it the poorest may have its life prolonged. By Horace Walpole Live Prolonged Grace Book Poorest

[Corneille] was inspired by Roman authors and Roman spirit, Racine with delicacy by the polished court of Louis XIV. By Horace Walpole Corneille Racine Xiv Roman Louis

How well Shakespeare knew how to improve and exalt little circumstances, when he borrowed them from circumstantial or vulgar historians. By Horace Walpole Shakespeare Circumstances Historians Knew Improve

The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel. By Horace Walpole Feel World Comedy Tragedy

History is a romance that is believed; romance, a history that is not believed. By Horace Walpole Believed History Romance

Nine-tenths of the people were created so you would want to be with the other tenth. By Horace Walpole Ninetenths Tenth People Created

I am persuaded that foolish writers and foolish readers are created for each other; and that fortune provides readers as she does mates for ugly women. By Horace Walpole Women Foolish Readers Persuaded Writers