William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63) was a great Victorian novelist whose central literary theme was the expansion of human sympathy.
Born in Calcutta, British India, as the only son of a distinguished member of the India civil service, Thackeray was brought up in luxury reminiscent of a young prince. He was sent to England for his schooling at age five. He attended Cambridge, but left without graduating, after losing some of his inheritance through gambling and business failure. His Indian upbringing and his public school experience feature prominently in The Newcomes (1853–55.)
In 1848, after a long and often disappointing exploration for a profession and a literary voice, Thackeray’s definite breakthrough came with his serialized novel, Vanity Fair (1847–48.) This classic novel about the rise and fall of an Irish adventurer, set at the time of Waterloo and its aftermath, was a satire of the English upper-middle class of early 19th-century society.
Thackeray spent his last decade as a literary celebrity and the editor of the Cornhill magazine.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by William Makepeace Thackeray
It is from the level of calamities … that we learn impressive and useful lessons.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Adversity, Difficulties
All amusements to which virtuous women are not admitted, are, rely upon it, deleterious in their nature.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
The great moments of life are but moments like the others. Your doom is spoken in a word or two. A single look from the eyes, a mere pressure of the hand, may decide it; or of the lips, though they cannot speak.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Trifles
Life is the soul’s nursery – its training place for the destinies of eternity.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
It is an old saying that we forget nothing.—As people in fever begin suddenly to talk the language of their infancy, so we are stricken by memory sometimes, and old affections rush back on us as vivid as in the time when they were our daily talk, when their presence gladdened our eyes, when their accents thrilled in our cars,—when, with passionate tears and grief, we flung ourselves upon their hopeless corpses. Parting is death,—at least, as far as this life is concerned. A passion comes to an end; it is carried off in a coffin, or, weeping in a post-chaise; it drops out of life one way or another, and the earth-clods close over it, and we see it no more. But it has been part of our souls, and it is eternal.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Memory
I never know whether to pity or congratulate a man on coming to his senses.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
I never knew a man of letters ashamed of his profession.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Literature
Except for the young or very happy, I can’t say I am sorry for anyone who dies.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Dying, Death
If, in looking at the lives of princes, courtiers, men of rank and fashion, we must perforce depict them as idle, profligate, and criminal, we must make allowances for the rich men’s failings, and recollect that we, too, were very likely indolent and voluptuous, had we no motive for work, a mortal’s natural taste for pleasure, and the daily temptation of a large income. What could a great peer, with a great castle and park, and a great fortune, do but be splendid and idle?
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Aristocracy
Novelty has charms that our minds can hardly withstand. The most valuable things, if they have for a long while appeared among us, do not make any impression as they are good, but give us a distaste as they are old. But when the influence of this fantastical humor is over, the same men or things will come to be admired again, by a happy return of our good taste.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
All men who avoid female society have dull perceptions and are stupid, or else have gross tastes, and revolt against what is pure.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Woman
Kindnesses are easily forgotten; but injuries!—what worthy man does not keep those in mind?
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Injury
Who feels injustice; who shrinks before a slight; who has a sense of wrong so acute, and so glowing a gratitude for kindness, as a generous boy?
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Children
If a man’s character is to be abused, say what you will, there’s nobody like a relation to do the business.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Next to the young, I suppose the very old are the most selfish.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Selfishness
To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Love, Best, Win
You who are ashamed of your poverty, and blush for your calling, are a snob; as are you who boast of your pedigree, or are proud of your wealth.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Pride
A fool can no more see his own folly than he can see his ears.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Fools
Bravery never goes out of style.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Brave, Courage
They say that every one of us believes in his heart, or would like to have others believe, that he is something which he is not.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Conceit
The world is good-natured to people who are good-natured.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Goodness
People who do not know how to laugh are always pompous and self-conceited.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Conceit, Vanity
There is no good in living in a society where you are merely the equal of everybody else. The true pleasure of life is to live with your inferiors.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Equality
To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted by no difficulty; to keep heart when all have lost it; to go through intrigue spotless; to forego even ambition when the end is gained—who can say this is not greatness?
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Perseverance, Patience, Greatness & Great Things
Certain it is that scandal is good brisk talk, whereas praise of one’s neighbor is by no means lively hearing. An acquaintance grilled, scored, devilled, and served with mustard and cayenne pepper excites the appetite; whereas a slice of cold friend with currant jelly is but a sickly, unrelishing meat.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Shame
I would rather make my name than inherit it.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Inheritance
Which of us that is thirty years old has not had his Pompeii? Deep under ashes lies the life of youth—the careless sport, the pleasure and passion, the darling joy.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Youth
Parting and forgetting?—What faithful heart can do these?—Our great thoughts, our great affections, the truths of our life, never leave us.—Surely, they cannot be separate from our consciousness; will follow it whithersoever that shall go, and are, of their nature, divine and immortal.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Benevolent feeling ennobles the most trifling actions.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Benevolence
A good laugh is sunshine in a house.
—William Makepeace Thackeray
Topics: Laughter, Cheerfulness
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