Quotes About Deception

When a man puts on a Character he is a stranger to, there's as much difference between what he appears, and what he is really in himself, as there is between a Vizor and a Face.

Passion often renders the most clever man a fool, and sometimes renders the most foolish man clever.

Those who are incapable of great crimes don't readily suspect others of them.

Humility is often merely feigned submissiveness assumed in order to subject others, an artifice of pride which stoops to conquer, and although pride has a thousand ways of transforming itself it is never so well disguised and able to take people in as when masquerading as humility.

'Tis more dishonourable to distrust a friend than to be deceived by him.

There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not.

We are so used to disguise ourselves to others, that at last we disguise ourselves even to ourselves.

We confess small faults to insinuate that we have no great ones.

Some disguised deceits counterfeit truth so perfectly that not to be taken in by them would be an error of judgment.

The surest way to be deceived is to think oneself cleverer than the others.

In all aspects of life, we take on a part and an appearance to seem to be what we wish to be--and thus the world is merely composed of actors.

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

Whatever care we take to conceal our passions under the appearance of piety and honor, they are always to be seen through these veils.

A resolution never to deceive exposes a man to be often deceived.

However wicked men may be, they do not dare openly to appear the enemies of virtue, and when they desire to persecute her they either pretend to believe her false or attribute crimes to her.

There are certain defects which, well-mounted, glitter like virtue itself.

Sincerity is an openness of heart; we find it in very few people; what we usually see is only an artful dissimulation to win the confidence of others.

Men sometimes think they hate flattery, but they hate only the manner of flattering.

The surest way to be deceived is to think oneself more clever than others.

We can't bear to be deceived by our enemies, and betrayed by our friends; yet are often content to be so served by ourselves.

Cunning and treachery proceed from want of capacity.

The common practice of cunning is a sign of small genius; and it almost always happens that those who use it to cover themselves in one place, lay themselves open in another.

There are some disguised falsehoods so like truths, that 'twould be to judge ill not to be deceived by them.

The surest way to be cheated is to fancy ourselves more cunning than others.