Samuel Richardson Quotes:

Where words are restrained, the eyes often talk a great deal.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.384

Topics: Eye, Deals

Every one, more or less, loves Power, yet those who most wish for it are seldom the fittest to be trusted with it.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1751). “Clarissa; Or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life”, p.432

Topics: Wish, Power Of Love, Trusted

A good man, though he will value his own countrymen, yet will think as highly of the worthy men of every nation under the sun.

Topics: Men, Thinking, Good Man

People of little understanding are most apt to be angry when their sense is called into question.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1751). “Clarissa; Or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life”, p.388

Topics: People, Hatred, Understanding

Vast is the field of Science... the more a man knows, the more he will find he has to know.

Topics: Men, Fields

Necessity may well be called the mother of invention but calamity is the test of integrity.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1820). “Clarissa, Or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life : and Particularly Shewing the Distresses that May Attend the Misconduct Both of Parents and Children, in Relation to Marriage”, p.255

Topics: Mother, Integrity, May, Moral Ethics

Those who have least to do are generally the most busy people in the world.

Topics: People, World, Busy

Calamity is the test of integrity.

Topics: Inspirational, Motivational, Leadership

For the human mind is seldom at stay: If you do not grow better, you will most undoubtedly grow worse.

source: - Samuel Richardson (2014). “Delphi Complete Works of Samuel Richardson (Illustrated)”, p.6833, Delphi Classics

Topics: Integrity, Stay Positive, Mind

If the education and studies of children were suited to their inclinations and capacities, many would be made useful members of society that otherwise would make no figure in it.

Topics: Children, Educational, Would Be

A beautiful woman must expect to be more accountable for her steps, than one less attractive.

Topics: Beautiful, Beautiful Women, Steps, International Women's Day, Womans Day

Love will draw an elephant through a key-hole.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1784). “Clarissa: Or, the History of a Young Lady. Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life. ... By Mr. Samuel Richardson. In Eight Volumes”, p.1206

Topics: Love, Keys, Elephants

Men will bear many things from a kept mistress, which they would not bear from a wife.

Topics: Men, Wife, Mistress

People hardly ever do anything in anger, of which they do not repent.

Topics: Anger, People, Repent

Whom we fear more than love, we are not far from hating.

Topics: Fear, Hate, Hatred

An acquaintance with the muses, in the education of youth, contributes not a little to soften manners. It gives a delicate turn to the imagination and a polish to the mind.

Topics: Education, Giving, Imagination

That cruelty which children are permitted to show to birds and other animals will most probably exert itself on their fellow creatures when at years of maturity.

Topics: Children, Maturity, Animal

It is but shaping the bribe to the taste, and every one has his price.

Topics: Taste, Bribe, Avarice

Chastity, like piety, is a uniform grace.

Topics: Grace, Uniforms, Chastity

Women are sometimes drawn in to believe against probability by the unwillingness they have to doubt their own merit.

Topics: Believe, Doubt, Merit, Credulity

Honesty is good sense, politeness, amiableness,--all in one.

Topics: Honesty, Politeness, Good Sense

What pity that Religion and Love, which heighten our relish for the things of both worlds, should ever run the human heart into enthusiasm, superstition, or uncharitableness!

Topics: Running, Heart, Religion, Religion And Love

Marriage is the highest state of friendship. If happy, it lessens our cares by dividing them, at the same time that it doubles our pleasures by mutual participation.

source: - Samuel Richardson (2014). “Clarissa Harlowe, or The History of a Young Lady - Complete”, p.730, Simon and Schuster

Topics: Inspirational, Marriage, Care, Dividing

Humility is a grace that shines in a high condition but cannot, equally, in a low one because a person in the latter is already, perhaps, too much humbled.

Topics: Humility, Shining, Grace

Rakes are more suspicious than honest men.

Topics: Men, Rakes, Honest

Superstitious notions propagated in infancy are hardly ever totally eradicate, not even in minds grown strong enough to despise the like credulous folly in others.

Topics: Strong, Mind, Enough

He only who gave life has a power over it.

Topics: Suicide, Over It

Evil courses can yield pleasure no longer than while thought and reflection can be kept off.

Topics: Reflection, Yield, Evil

Platonic love is platonic nonsense.

Topics: Love, Nonsense, Platonic, Platonic Love

Air and manners are more expressive than words.

Topics: Air, Manners, Expressive

Too liberal self-accusations are generally but so many traps for acquittal with applause.

Topics: Self, Accusation, Traps, Acquittal

The readiness with which women are apt to forgive the men who have deceived other women; and that inconsiderate notion of too many of them that a reformed rake makes the best husband, are great encouragements to vile men to continue their profligacy.

Topics: Encouragement, Husband, Forgiving, Best Husband, Inconsiderate

All angry persons are to be treated, by the prudent, as children.

Topics: Children, Anger, Prudent, Feeling Angry, Angry Person

A prudent person, having to do with a designing one, will always distrust most when appearances are fairest.

Topics: Design, Prudent, Appearance

The laws were not made so much for the direction of good men, as to circumscribe the bad.

Topics: Men, Law, Good Man

The Cause of Women is generally the Cause of Virtue.

Topics: Causes, Virtue

There are men who think themselves too wise to be religious.

Topics: Wise, Religious, Thinking

Great allowances ought to be made for the petulance of persons laboring under ill-health.

Topics: Petulance, Allowance, Made, Ill Health

There hardly can be a greater difference between any two men, than there too often is, between the same man, a lover and a husband.

Topics: Husband, Men, Two

The World, thinking itself affronted by superior merit, takes delight to bring it down to its own level.

Topics: Thinking, Levels, Merit

The seeds of Death are sown in us when we begin to live, and grow up till, like rampant weeds, they choak the tender flower of life.

Topics: Death, Weed, Growing Up, Flower Life

We all know by theory that there is no permanent happiness in this life: But the weight of the precept is not felt in the same manner as when it is confirmed to us by a heavy calamity.

Topics: Happiness, Weight, This Life

The wife of a self-admirer must expect a very cold and negligent husband.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.5

Topics: Husband, Self, Wife

The most innocent heart is generally the most credulous.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1742). “Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded: In a Series of Familiar Letters from a Beautiful Young Damsel to Her Parents : and Afterwards, in Her Exalted Condition, Between Her, and Persons of Figure and Quality, Upon the Most Important and Entertaining Subjects, in Genteel Life”, p.217

Topics: Heart, Innocent

If a woman knows a man to be a libertine, yet will, without scruple, give him her company, he will think half the ceremony between them is over; and will probably only want an opportunity to make her repent of her confidence in him.

Topics: Opportunity, Men, Thinking, Libertine

The person who is worthiest to live, is fittest to die.

Topics: Persons

Every thing is pretty that is young.

Topics: Youth, Young

What we look upon as our greatest unhappiness in a difficulty we are involved in, may possibly be the evil hastening to its crisis, and happy days may ensue.

Topics: Evil, Looks, May

Distresses, however heavy at the time, appear light, and even joyous, to the reflecting mind, when worthily overcome.

Topics: Light, Mind, Overcoming

Things we wish to be true are apt to gain too ready credit with us.

Topics: Wish, Credit, Gains

We are all very ready to believe what we like.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1751). “Clarissa; Or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life”, p.395

Topics: Believe, Ready

A good man will honor him who lives up to his religious profession, whatever it be.

Topics: Religious, Men, Honor

Tis certain that Morality is an indispensable Requisite of true Religion, and there can be none without it. But it would become the Pride and Ignorance of Pagans only, to magnify it, as the Whole of what is necessary.

Topics: Ignorance, Pride, Religion

Reverence to a woman in courtship is less to be dispensed with, as, generally, there is but little of it shown afterwards.

Topics: Men, Littles, Reverence

The coyest maids make the fondest wives.

Topics: Men, Wife, Maids

Those who doubt themselves most generally err least.

Topics: Doubt

The unhappy never want enemies.

Topics: Adversity, Enemy, Unhappy

A good man will extend his munificence to the industrious poor of all persuasions reduced by age, infirmity, or accident; to thosewho labour under incurable maladies; and to the youth of either sex, who are capable of beginning the world with advantage, but have not the means.

Topics: Sex, Mean, Men, Malady

All that hoops are good for is to clean dirty shoes and keep fellows at a distance.

Topics: Distance, Dirty, Shoes

Those commands of superiors which are contrary to our first duties are not to be obeyed.

Topics: Firsts, Morality, Obedience

Men know no medium: They will either, spaniel-like, fawn at your feet, or be ready to leap into your lap.

Topics: Men, Feet, Fawns, Spaniels

When we reflect upon the cruelties daily practised upon such of the animal creation as are given us for food, or which we ensnarefor our diversion, we shall be obliged to own that there is more of the savage in human nature than we are aware of.

Topics: Animal, Savages, Human Nature

A good man will not engage even in a national cause, without examining the justice of it.

Topics: Men, Justice, Good Man

If women would make themselves appear as elegant to an Husband, as they were desirous to appear to him while a Lover, the Rake, which all women love, would last longer in the Husband than it generally does.

Topics: Marriage, Husband, Wife

Marriage is a state that is attended with so much care and trouble, that it is a kind of faulty indulgence and selfishness to livesingle, in order to avoid the difficulties it is attended with.

Topics: Marriage, Order, Selfishness

There is a good and a bad light in which every thing that befalls us may be taken. If the human mind will busy itself to make theworst of every disagreeable occurrence, it will never want woe.

Topics: Taken, Light, Optimism

It is a happy art to know when one has said enough. I would leave my hearers wishing me to say more rather than give them cause toshow, by their inattention, that I had said too much.

Topics: Art, Giving, Wish, Inattention

The richest princes and the poorest beggars are to have one great and just judge at the last day who will not distinguish betweenthem according to their ranks when in life but according to the neglected opportunities afforded to each. How much greater then, as the opportunities were greater, must be the condemnation of the one than of the other?

Topics: Opportunity, Judging, Lasts, Judgment Day

We can all be good when we have no temptation or provocation to the contrary.

Topics: Temptation, Goodness, Be Good, Provocation

I have my choice: who can wish for more? Free will enables us to do everything well while imposition makes a light burden heavy.

Topics: Light, Choices, Wish

Old men, imagining themselves under obligation to young paramours, seldom keep any thing from their knowledge.

Topics: Men, Age, Imagine

I never knew a man who deserved to be thought well of for his morals who had a slight opinion of our Sex in general.

Topics: Sex, Men, Opinion

The world, the wise world, that never is wrong itself, judges always by events. And if he should use me ill, then I shall be blamed for trusting him: if well, O then I did right, to be sure!--But how would my censurers act in my case, before the event justifies or condemns the action, is the question.

Topics: Wise, Judging, Use, Trusting Him

Youth is rather to be pitied than envied by people in years since it is doomed to toil through the rugged road of life which the others have passed through, in search of happiness that is not to be met with in it and that, at the highest, can be compounded for only by the blessing of a contented mind.

Topics: Happiness, Blessing, Years

Love is a blazing, crackling, green-wood flame, as much smoke as flame; friendship, married friendship particularly, is a steady,intense, comfortable fire. Love, in courtship, is friendship in hope; in matrimony, friendship upon proof.

Topics: Friendship, Love Is, Flames

Tis a barbarous temper, and a sign of a very ill nature, to take delight in shocking any one: and, on the contrary, it is the mark of an amiable and a beneficent temper, to say all the kind things one can, without flattery or playing the hypocrite,--and what never fails of procuring the love and esteem of every one; which, next to doing good to a deserving object who wants it, is one of the greatest pleasures of this life.

Topics: Hypocrite, Delight, Want

What a world is this! What is there in it desirable? The good we hope for so strangely mixed, that one knows not what to wish for!And one half of mankind tormenting the other, and being tormented themselves in tormenting!

Topics: Life, Wish, World

The World is not enough used to this way of writing, to the moment. It knows not that in the minutiae lie often the unfoldings ofthe Story, as well as of the heart; and judges of an action undecided, as if it were absolutely decided.

Topics: Lying, Reading, Writing, Undecided, Minutiae

The Nature of Familiar Letters, written, as it were, to the Moment, while the Heart is agitated by Hopes and Fears, on Events undecided, must plead an Excuse for the Bulk of a Collection of this Kind. Mere Facts and Characters might be comprised in a much smaller Compass: But, would they be equally interesting?

Topics: Heart, Character, Interesting, Undecided

The uselessness and expensiveness of modern women multiply bachelors.

Topics: Women, Modern, Bachelors, Modern Woman

All women, from the countess to the cook-maid, are put into high good humor with themselves when a man is taken with them at firstsight. And be they ever so plain, they will find twenty good reasons to defend the judgment of such a man.

Topics: Women, Taken, Maids, Good Humor

The eye is the casement at which the heart generally looks out. Many a woman who will not show herself at the door, has tipt the sly, the intelligible wink from the window.

Topics: Women, Eye, Heart

Women love those best (whether men, women, or children) who give them most pain.

Topics: Pain, Children, Women

Women's eyes are wanderers, and too often bring home guests that are very troublesome to them, and whom, once introduced, they cannot get out of the house.

Topics: Women, Eye, Home, Wanderers

The longer a woman remains single, the more apprehensive she will be of entering into the state of wedlock. At seventeen or eighteen, a girl will plunge into it, sometimes without either fear or wit; at twenty, she will begin to think; at twenty-four, will weigh and discriminate; at twenty-eight, will be afraid of venturing; at thirty, will turn about, and look down the hill she has ascended, and sometimes rejoice, sometimes repent, that she has gained that summit sola.

Topics: Marriage, Girl, Women, Seventeen, Wedlock

Twenty-four is a prudent age for women to marry at.

Topics: Marriage, Women, Four

Parents cannot expect advice to have the same force upon their children as experience has upon themselves.

Topics: Children, Parent, Advice

Men and women are brothers and sisters; they are not of different species; and what need be obtained to know both, but to allow for different modes of education, for situation and constitution, or perhaps I should rather say, for habits, whether good or bad.

Topics: Brother, Men, Imagination

What the unpenetrating world call Humanity, is often no more than a weak mind pitying itself.

Topics: Self, Humanity, Mind, Weak Minds

Though a censure lies against those who are poor and proud, yet is Pride sooner to be forgiven in a poor person than in a rich one; since in the latter it is insult and arrogance; in the former, it may be a defense against temptations to dishonesty; and, if manifested on proper occasions, may indicate a natural bravery of mind, which the frowns of fortune cannot depress.

Topics: Depressing, Lying, Pride

We have nothing to do, but to choose what is right, to be steady in the pursuit of it, and leave the issue to Providence.

Topics: Issues, Free Will, Pursuit

Women who have had no lovers, or having had one, two or three, have not found a husband, have perhaps rather had a miss than a loss, as men go.

Topics: Husband, Loss, Men

I know not my own heart if it be not absolutely free.

Topics: Heart

The English, the plain English, of the politest address of a gentleman to a lady is, I am now, dear Madam, your humble servant: Pray be so good as to let me be your Lord and Master.

Topics: Humble, Gentleman, Addresses, Plain English

Marry first, and love will come after is a shocking assertion; since a thousand things may happen to make the state but barely tolerable, when it is entered into with mutual affection.

Topics: And Love, May, Firsts

Whenever we approve, we can find a hundred good reasons to justify our approbation. Whenever we dislike, we can find a thousand to justify our dislike.

source: - Samuel Richardson (2015). “Clarissa Harlowe V: Samuel Richardson Collections”, p.151, 谷月社

Topics: Appreciate, Reason, Hundred

Would Alexander, madman as he was, have been so much a madman, had it not been for Homer?

Topics: Madmen

Women are always most observed when they seem themselves least to observe, or to lay out for observation.

source: - Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1806). “The Rambler: In Four Volumes ...”, p.155

Topics: Observation

There would be no supporting life were we to feel quite as poignantly for others as we do for ourselves.

Topics: Would Be, Feels

The pleasures of the mighty are obtained by the tears of the poor.

source: - Samuel Richardson, Clarissa (fict. name.) (1820). “Clarissa; or, The history of a young lady”, p.114

Topics: Tears, Pleasure, Poor

The little words in the Republic of Letters, like the little folks in a nation, are the most useful and significant.

Topics: Republic, Letters, Littles

Tired of myself longing for what I have not

Topics: Tired, Longing

Be sure don't let people's telling you, you are pretty, puff you up; for you did not make yourself, and so can have no praise due to you for it. It is virtue and goodness only, that make the true beauty.

Topics: People, True Beauty, Puff

What likelihood is there of corrupting a man who has no ambition.

Topics: Ambition, Men

Men are less forgiving than women.

Topics: Forgiveness, Men, Forgiving

By my soul, I can neither eat, drink, nor sleep; nor, what's still worse, love any woman in the world but her.

Topics: Love, Sleep, Soul

Romances, in general are calculated rather to fire the imagination than to inform the judgment.

Topics: Fire, Imagination, Romance

It may be very generous in one person to offer what it would be ungenerous in another to accept.

Topics: Would Be, May, Accepting

Those who can least bear a jest upon themselves, will be most diverted with one passed on others.

Topics: Bears, Jest

What we want to tell, we wish our friend to have curiosity to hear.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.340

Topics: Curiosity, Wish, Want

Those who respect age, deserve to live to be old, and to be respected themselves.

Topics: Age, Aging, Deserve

Spiritual pride is the most dangerous and the most arrogant of all sorts of pride.

Topics: Spiritual, Pride, Arrogant, Spiritual Pride, Most Arrogant

The first reading of a Will, where a person dies worth anything considerable, generally affords a true test of the relations' love to the deceased.

Topics: Reading, Tests, Firsts, Deceased

The difference in the education of men and women must give the former great advantages over the latter, even where geniuses are equal.

Topics: Men, Differences, Giving

Some children act as if they thought their parents had nothing to do, but to see them established in the world and then quit it.

Topics: Children, Parent, World

Sorrow makes an ugly face odious.

Topics: Sorrow, Ugly, Faces, Ugly Face

Women love to be called cruel, even when they are kindest.

Women do not often fall in love with philosophers.

Topics: Love, Falling In Love, Fall

Women are so much in love with compliments that rather than want them, they will compliment one another, yet mean no more by it than the men do.

Topics: Mean, Men, Want

All human excellence is but comparative. There may be persons who excel us, as much as we fancy we excel the meanest.

Topics: Excellence, May, Fancy

Those we dislike can do nothing to please us.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1990). “Clarissa, or, The history of a young lady: comprehending the most important concerns of private life”

Topics: Please, Dislike

Every scholar, I presume, is not, necessarily, a man of sense.

Topics: Men, Scholar

A Stander-by is often a better judge of the game than those that play.

Topics: Games, Play, Judging

The first step in achieving prosperity and wealth is learning to appreciate what you already have.

Topics: Wisdom, Appreciate, Firsts

Friendship is the perfection of love, and superior to love; it is love purified, exalted, proved by experience and a consent of minds. Love, Madam, may, and love does, often stop short of friendship.

source: - Samuel Richardson, Anna Laetitia Barbauld (2011). “The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson: Author of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison”, p.188, Cambridge University Press

Topics: Mind Love, Perfection, And Love

Nothing dries sooner than tears.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1751). “Letters and passages restored from the original manuscripts of the History of Clarissa. To which is subjoined, a collection of such of the moral and instructive sentiments ... contained in the History, as are presumed to be of general use and service ... Published for the sake of doing justice to the purchasers of the first two editions of that work”, p.295

Topics: Tears

The companion of an evening, and the companion for life, require very different qualifications.

source: - Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Hester Mulson Chapone, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1785). “The Rambler”, p.222

Topics: Different, Evening, Companion

It is much easier to find fault with others, than to be faultless ourselves.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1980). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments: a facsimile reproduction”, Scholars Facsimilies & Reprint

Topics: Faults, Easier

Men generally are afraid of a wife who has more understanding than themselves.

Topics: Men, Wife, Understanding

Quantity in diet is more to be regarded than quality. A full meal is a great enemy both to study and industry.

source: - "Clarissa Or The History of a Young Lady". Book by Samuel Richardson, Volume 4 (p. 443), 1863.

Topics: Enemy, Quality, Meals

Shame is a fitter and generally a more effectual punishment for a child than beating.

Topics: Children, Punishment, Shame

Angry men make themselves beds of nettles.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1862). “Clarissa; Or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprenhending the Most ...”, p.197

Topics: Men, Angry Man, Bed, Nettles

Wicked words are the prelude to wicked deeds.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.20

Topics: Wicked, Deeds, Prelude

What pleasure can those over-happy persons know, who, from their affluence and luxury, always eat before they are hungry and drink before they are thirsty?

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.80

Topics: Luxury, Affluence, Drink

The wisest among us is a fool in some things.

Topics: Wisdom, Fool, Wisest

A widow's refusal of a lover is seldom so explicit as to exclude hope.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1980). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments: a facsimile reproduction”, Scholars Facsimilies & Reprint

Topics: Widows, Lovers, Refusal, Explicit

Why Do We Procrastinate? P - postponing life R - resisting change O - overly cautious C - contemplating course of action R - reasoning and justifying A - afraid of success S - summoning up some courage T - trouble moving forward I - inability to see the outcome N - not able to trust in your abilities to make decisions A - attempting to control the situation T - time to reflect on your motives E - erodes progress

Topics: Moving, Decision, Progress, Postponing, Summoning

It is better to be thought perverse than insincere.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1751). “Clarissa; Or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life”, p.424

Topics: Insincere

Love gratified is love satisfied, and love satisfied is indifference begun.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1751). “Clarissa; Or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life”, p.444

Topics: Short Love, And Love, Indifference

Love is not a volunteer thing.

Topics: Short Love, Love Is, Volunteer

A man who flatters a woman hopes either to find her a fool or to make her one.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1751). “Letters and passages restored from the original manuscripts of the History of Clarissa. To which is subjoined, a collection of such of the moral and instructive sentiments ... contained in the History, as are presumed to be of general use and service ... Published for the sake of doing justice to the purchasers of the first two editions of that work”, p.243

Topics: Men, Fool, Flattery

Love before marriage is absolutely necessary.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1856). “Virtue rewarded: in a series of letters, from a beautiful young lady to her parents. A narrative”, p.298

Topics: Marriage, Love Is, Before Marriage

Smatterers in learning are the most opinionated.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.306

Topics: Opinionated

The first vice of the first woman was curiosity, and it runs through the whole sex.

Topics: Running, Sex, Curiosity

The mind can be but full. It will be as much filled with a small disagreeable occurrence, having no other, as with a large one.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1980). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments: a facsimile reproduction”, Scholars Facsimilies & Reprint

Topics: Mind, Filled, Disagreeable

Handsome husbands often make a wife's heart ache.

Topics: Beauty, Husband, Heart, Heart Ache

The woman who thinks meanly of herself is any man's purchase.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.30

Topics: Women, Men, Thinking

From sixteen to twenty, all women, kept in humor by their hopes and by their attractions, appear to be good-natured.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.380

Topics: Humor, Twenties, Sixteen

There is but one pride pardonable; that of being above doing a base or dishonorable action.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1793). “The History of Clarissa Harlowe: In a Series of Letters”, p.382

Topics: Pride, Action, Dishonorable

Nothing in human nature is so God-like as the disposition to do good to our fellow-creatures.

Topics: Human Nature, Disposition, Humans

To what a bad choice is many a worthy woman betrayed, by that false and inconsiderate notion, That a reformed rake makes the best husband!

Topics: Husband, Choices, Rakes, Bad Choices, Inconsiderate

The grace that makes every grace amiable is humility.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.138

Topics: Humility, Grace, Amiable

A feeling heart is a blessing that no one, who has it, would be without; and it is a moral security of innocence; since the heart that is able to partake of the distress of another, cannot wilfully give it.

source: - 'The History of Sir Charles Grandison' (1754) vol. 3, letter 32

Topics: Heart, Blessing, Giving

She who is more ashamed of dishonesty than of poverty will not be easily overcome.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.4

Topics: Overcoming, Poverty, Dishonesty

Romances in general are calculated rather to fire the imagination, than to inform the judgment.

source: - "A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments: a facsimile reproduction".

Topics: Fire, Imagination, Romance

The life of a good man was a continual warfare with his passions.

source: - "The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Bart".

Topics: Passion, Men, Good Man

Prejudices in disfavor of a person fix deeper, and are much more difficult to be removed, than prejudices in favor.

Topics: Prejudice, Favors, Difficult

A man who insults the modesty of a woman, as good as tells her that he has seen something in her conduct that warranted his presumption.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.91

Topics: Men, Modesty, Insult

There cannot be any great happiness in the married life except each in turn give up his or her own humors and lesser inclinations.

Topics: Giving Up, Married, Matrimony, Married Life

For tutors, although they may make youth learned, do not always make them virtuous.

source: - "The Works of Samuel Richardson: With a Sketch of His Life and Writings".

Topics: Youth, Virtuous, Tutor

Over-niceness may be under-niceness.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1792). “The History of Clarissa Harlowe: In a Series of Letters”, p.275

Topics: May, Niceness

'Passion' a word which involves so many feelings. I feel it when we touch; I feel it when we kiss; I feel it when I look at you. For you are my passion; my one true love.

Topics: Passion, Kissing, Feelings, Deep Passion, Love Passion

Tho' Beauty is generally the creature of fancy, yet are there some who will be Beauties in every eye.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1751). “Letters and passages restored from the original manuscripts of the History of Clarissa. To which is subjoined, a collection of such of the moral and instructive sentiments ... contained in the History, as are presumed to be of general use and service ... Published for the sake of doing justice to the purchasers of the first two editions of that work”, p.224

Topics: Beauty, Eye, Fancy

Nothing can be more wounding to a spirit not ungenerous, than a generous forgiveness.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1862). “Clarissa Or The History of a Young Lady : Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life; and Particularly Shewing the Distresses that May Attend the Misconduct Both of Parents and Children, in Relation to Marriage”, p.478

Topics: Spirit, Generous

An honest heart is not to be trusted with itself in bad company.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1856). “Virtue rewarded: in a series of letters, from a beautiful young lady to her parents. A narrative”, p.94

Topics: Heart, Temptation, Honest, Bad Company

Hope is the cordial that keeps life from stagnating.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1862). “Clarissa Or The History of a Young Lady : Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life; and Particularly Shewing the Distresses that May Attend the Misconduct Both of Parents and Children, in Relation to Marriage”, p.176

A departure from the truth was hardly ever known to be a single one.

Topics: Truth, Departure, Known

Of what violences, murders, depredations, have not the epic poets, from all antiquity, been the occasion, by propagating false honor, false glory, and false religion?

Topics: Epic, Honor, Violence

In all Works of This, and of the Dramatic Kind, STORY, or AMUSEMENT, should be considered as little more than the Vehicle to the more necessary INSTRUCTION.

source: - Samuel Richardson (2015). “Clarissa: Preface”, p.19, Sheba Blake Publishing

Topics: Stories, Amusement, Littles

Virtue only is the true beauty.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.7

Topics: True Beauty, Virtue

Friendly satire may be compared to a fine lancet, which gently breathes a vein for health's sake.

Topics: Friendly, Veins, May

Beauty is an accidental and transient good.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.233

Topics: Beauty, Transient

Married people should not be quick to hear what is said by either when in ill humor.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.335

Topics: Humor, People, Married

As a child is indulged or checked in its early follies, a ground is generally laid for the happiness or misery of the future man.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.27

Topics: Happiness, Children, Men

But let not those worthy young women, who may think themselves destined to a single life, repine over-much at their lot; since, possibly, if they have had no lovers, or having had one, two, or three, have not found a husband, they have had rather a miss than a loss, as men go.

source: - "The Novels of Samuel Richardson, Esq. Viz. Pamela, Clarissa Harlowe, and Sir Charles Grandison: In Three Volumes. To which is Prefixed, a Memoir of the Life of the Author".

Topics: Husband, Loss, Men

The plays and sports of children are as salutary to them as labor and work are to grown persons.

Topics: Sports, Children, Play

All our pursuits, from childhood to manhood, are only trifles of different sorts and sizes, proportioned to our years and views.

source: - Samuel Richardson (2014). “Clarissa Harlowe, or The History of a Young Lady - Complete”, p.960, Simon and Schuster

Topics: Views, Years, Childhood

There is a pride, a self-love, in human minds that will seldom be kept so low as to make men and women humbler than they ought to be.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.13

Topics: Pride, Men, Self

O! what a Godlike Power is that of doing Good! I envy the Rich and the Great for nothing else!

source: - Samuel Richardson, Pamela (fict.name.) (1811). “Pamela; or, Virtue rewarded”, p.281

Topics: Envy, Rich, Doing Good, Godlike

Honeymoon lasts not nowadays above a fortnight.

source: - Samuel Richardson (2015). “Clarissa Harlowe V1: the history of a young lady”, p.168, 谷月社

Topics: Lasts, Honeymoon, Fortnight

Let a man do what he will by a single woman, the world is encouragingly apt to think Marriage a sufficient amends.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.159

Topics: Marriage, Men, Thinking, Amends, Single Women

A fop takes great pains to hang out a sign, by his dress, of what he has within.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1862). “Clarissa: Or, The History of a Young Lady Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life; and Particularly Shewing the Distresses that May Attend the Misconduct Both of Parents and Children, in Relation to Marriage”, p.466

Topics: Pain, Dresses, Hanging Out

Parents sometimes make not those allowances for youth, which, when young, they wished to be made for themselves.

Topics: Parent, Youth, Sometimes

An acknowledged love sanctifies every little freedom; and little freedoms beget great ones.

Topics: Temptation, Littles, Sanctify, Great Ones, Begets

That dangerous but too commonly received notion, that a reformed rake makes the best husband.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1784). “Clarissa: Or, the History of a Young Lady. Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life. ... By Mr. Samuel Richardson. In Eight Volumes”, p.2

Topics: Husband, Rakes, Dangerous, Best Husband

To be a clergyman, and all that is compassionate and virtuous, ought to be the same thing.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.13

Topics: Clergymen, Compassionate, Virtuous

The person who will bear much shall have much to bear, all the world through.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1862). “Clarissa; Or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprenhending the Most ...”, p.44

Topics: World, Bears, Persons

...for my master, bad as I have thought him, is not half so bad as this woman.-To be sure she must be an atheist!

source: - Samuel Richardson (2015). “Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded”, p.243, Courier Dover Publications

Topics: Atheist, Half, Masters

People who act like angels ought to have angels to deal with.

source: - Samuel Richardson (2014). “Clarissa Harlowe, or The History of a Young Lady - Complete”, p.381, Simon and Schuster

Topics: Angel, People, Deals

Who would not rather be the sufferer than the defrauder?

source: - "The Works of Samuel Richardson: With a Sketch of His Life and Writings".

Topics: Men, Honest, Sufferers

I am forced, as I have often said, to try to make myself laugh, that I may not cry: for one or other I must do.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1784). “Clarissa: Or, the History of a Young Lady. Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life. ... By Mr. Samuel Richardson. In Eight Volumes”, p.1091

Topics: Laughing, Trying, May

Good men must be affectionate men.

source: - Samuel Richardson (1755). “A collection of the moral and instructive sentiments, maxims, cautions, and reflexions, contained in the histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Digested under proper heads, with references to the volume, ...”, p.228

Topics: Men, Good Man, Affectionate