Quotes from Henry Fielding

Let no man be sorry he has done good, because others have done evil.

Custom may lead a man into many errors; but it justifies none.

Never trust the man who has reason to suspect that you know he hath injured you.

Now in reality, the world has paid too great a compliment to critics, and has imagined them to be men of much greater profundity than they really are.

It is well known to all great men, that by conferring an obligation they do not always procure a friend, but are certain of creating many enemies.

A rich man without charity is a rogue; and perhaps it would be no difficult matter to prove that he is also a fool.

A good face they say, is a letter of recommendation. O Nature, Nature, why art thou so dishonest, as ever to send men with these false recommendations into the World!

Thirst teaches all animals to drink, but drunkenness belongs only to man.

There is scarcely any man, how much soever he may despise the character of a flatterer, but will condescend in the meanest manner to flatter himself.

There are two considerations which always imbitter the heart of an avaricious man--the one is a perpetual thirst after more riches, the other the prospect of leaving what he has already acquired.

Clergy are men as well as other folks.

There is nothing a Man of good Sense dreads so much in a Wife, as her having more Sense than himself.

Considering the unforeseen events of this world, we should be taught that no human condition should inspire men with absolute despair.

It is admirably remarked, by a most excellent writer, that zeal can no more hurry a man to act in direct opposition to itself than a rapid stream can carry a boat against its own current.

A newspaper consists of just the same number of words, whether there be any news in it or not.

There is not in the universe a more ridiculous, nor a more contemptible animal, than a proud clergyman.

There is an insolence which none but those who themselves deserve contempt can bestow, and those only who deserve no contempt can bear.

...love and scandal are the best sweetners of tea.

If you make money your god, it will plague you like the devil.

Fraud and falsehood are his weak and treacherous allies; and he lurks trembling in the dark, dreading every ray of light, lest it should discover him, and give him up to shame and punishment.

A truly elegant taste is generally accompanied with an excellency of heart.

Affectation proceeds from one of these two causes,--vanity or hypocrisy; for as vanity puts us on affecting false characters, in order to purchase applause; so hypocrisy sets us on an endeavor to avoid censure, by concealing our vices under an appearance of their opposite virtues

He that can heroically endure adversity will bear prosperity with equal greatness of soul; for the mind that cannot be dejected by the former is not likely to be transported with the later

Want oú compassion is not to be numbered among the general faults of mankind. The black ingredient which fouls our disposition is envy. Hence our eyes, it is to be feared, are seldom turned up to those who are manifestly greater, better, wiser, or happier than ourselves, without some degree of malignity, we commonly look downward on the mean and miserable with sufficient benevolence and pity.