Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims Part 7

145.--We often select envenomed praise which, by a reaction upon those we praise, shows faults we could not have shown by other means.

146.--Usually we only praise to be praised.

147.--Few are sufficiently wise to prefer censure which is useful to praise which is treacherous.

148.--Some reproaches praise; some praises reproach.

["d.a.m.n with faint praise, a.s.sent with civil leer, And, without sneering, teach the rest to sneer." Pope {Essay On Man, (1733), Epistle To Dr.

Arbuthnot.}]

149.--The refusal of praise is only the wish to be praised twice.

[The modesty which pretends to refuse praise is but in truth a desire to be praised more highly. Edition 1665.]

150.--The desire which urges us to deserve praise strengthens our good qualities, and praise given to wit, valour, and beauty, tends to increase them.

151.--It is easier to govern others than to prevent being governed.

152.--If we never flattered ourselves the flattery of others would not hurt us.

["Adulatione servilia fingebant securi de fragilitate credentis." Tacit.

Ann. xvi.]

153.--Nature makes merit but fortune sets it to work.

154.--Fortune cures us of many faults that reason could not.

155.--There are some persons who only disgust with their abilities, there are persons who please even with their faults.

156.--There are persons whose only merit consists in saying and doing stupid things at the right time, and who ruin all if they change their manners.

157.--The fame of great men ought always to be estimated by the means used to acquire it.

158.--Flattery is base coin to which only our vanity gives currency.

159.--It is not enough to have great qualities, we should also have the management of them.

160.--However brilliant an action it should not be esteemed great unless the result of a great motive.

161.--A certain harmony should be kept between actions and ideas if we desire to estimate the effects that they produce.

162.--The art of using moderate abilities to advantage wins praise, and often acquires more reputation than real brilliancy.

163.--Numberless arts appear foolish whose secre{t} motives are most wise and weighty.

164.--It is much easier to seem fitted for posts we do not fill than for those we do.

165.--Ability wins us the esteem of the true men, luck that of the people.

166.--The world oftener rewards the appearance of merit than merit itself.

167.--Avarice is more opposed to economy than to liberality.

168.--However deceitful hope may be, yet she carries us on pleasantly to the end of life.

["Hope travels through, nor quits us when we die." Pope: Essay On Man, Ep. ii.]

169.--Idleness and fear keeps us in the path of duty, but our virtue often gets the praise.

["Quod segnitia erat sapientia vocaretur." Tacitus Hist. I.]

170.--If one acts rightly and honestly, it is difficult to decide whether it is the effect of integrity or skill.

171.--As rivers are lost in the sea so are virtues in self.

172.--If we thoroughly consider the varied effects of indifference we find we miscarry more in our duties than in our interests.

173.--There are different kinds of curiosity: one springs from interest, which makes us desire to know everything that may be profitable to us; another from pride, which springs from a desire of knowing what others are ignorant of.