There cannot be a more glorious object in creation than a human being replete with benevolence, meditating in what manner he may render himself most acceptable to the Creator by doing good to his creatures.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Benevolence
There are those who never reason on what they should do, but on what they have done; as if reason had her eyes behind, and could only see backward.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Reason
Distance of time and place generally cure what they seem to aggravate; and taking leave of our friends resembles taking leave of the world, of which it has been said, that it is not death, but dying, which is terrible.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Death, Absence, Dying
It hath often been said that it is not death but dying that is terrible.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Death, Dying
The constant desire of pleasing which is the peculiar quality of some, may be called the happiest of all desires in this, that it rarely fails of attaining its end when not disgraced by affectation.
—Henry Fielding
When I’m not thank’d at all, I’m thank’d enough. I’ve done my duty, and I’ve done no more.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Gratitude, Appreciation
There is not in human nature a more odious disposition than a proneness to contempt, which is a mixture of pride and ill-nature. Nor is there any which more certainly denotes a bad disposition; for in a good and benign temper, there can be no room for it.—It is the truest symptom of a base and bad heart.
—Henry Fielding
Some folks rail against other folks, because other folks have what some folks would be glad of.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Envy
Dancing begets warmth, which is the parent of wantonness. It is, Sir, the great grandfather of cuckoldom.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Dance, Dancing
Never to reward any one equal to his merits; but always to insinuate that the reward was above it.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: God, Merit
Conscience—the only incorruptible thing about us.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Conscience
The greatest part of mankind labor under one delirium or another; and Don Quixote differed from the rest, not in madness, but in the species of it.—The covetous, the prodigal, the superstitious the libertine, and the coffee-house politician, are all Quixotes in their several way.
—Henry Fielding
Worth begets in base minds, envy; in great souls, emulation.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Worth
Guilt hath very quick ears to an accusation.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Guilt
Jenny replied to this with a bitterness which might have surprized a judicious person, who had observed the tranquillity with which she bore all the affronts to her chastity; but her patience was perhaps tired out, for this is a virtue which is very apt to be fatigued by exercise.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Patience
Adversity is the trial of principle. Without it, a man hardly knows whether he is honest or not.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Vision, Difficulties, Adversity
Money will say more in one moment than the most eloquent lover can in years.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Money
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!
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Letters, Face, Faces
Wine is a turncoat; first a friend and then an enemy.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Alcohol, One liners, Alcoholism
Let no man be sorry he has done good, because others have done evil! If a man has acted right, he has done well, though alone; if wrong, the sanction of all mankind will not justify him.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Goodness, Right
As a great part of the uneasiness of matrimony arises from mere trifles, it would be wise in every young married man to enter into an agreement with his wife that in all disputes the party who was most convinced they were right should always surrender the victory. By this means both would be more forward to give up the cause.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Marriage
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.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Affectation
It is the nature of some minds to insult and tyrannize over little people, this being the means they use to recompense themselves for their extreme servility and condescension to their superiors.—Slaves and flatterers exact the same taxes on all below them which they pay to all above them.
—Henry Fielding
The raillery which is consistent with good breeding is a gentle animal version on some foible, which, while it raises the laugh in the rest of the company, doth not put the person rallied out of countenance, or expose him to shame or contempt. On the contrary, the jest should be so delicate that the object of it should be capable of joining in the mirth it occasions.
—Henry Fielding
The summary of good-breeding may be reduced to this rale: “Behave to all others as you would they should behave to you.”
—Henry Fielding
Giving comfort under affliction requires that penetration into the human mind, joined to that experience which knows how to soothe, how to reason, and how to ridicule, taking the utmost care not to apply those arts improperly.
—Henry Fielding
Great vices are the proper objects of our detestation, smaller faults of our pity, but affectation appears to be the only true source of the ridiculous.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Affectation
He in a few minutes ravished this fair creature, or at least would have ravished her, if she had not, by a timely compliance, prevented him.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Seduction
Flattery is never so agreeable as to our blind side; commend a fool for his wit, or a knave for his honesty, and they will receive you into their bosoms.
—Henry Fielding
Topics: Wit, Fools, Flattery, Foolishness
Wicked companions invite and lure us to hell.
—Henry Fielding
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
- John Lyly English Dramatist, Author
- Thomas Love Peacock English Satirist
- Evelyn Waugh British Novelist, Satirist
- Anthony Powell English Novelist
- Margaret Drabble English Novelist
- J. B. Priestley British Novelist, Playwright, Essayist
- Iris Murdoch British Novelist, Philosopher
- Pamela Hansford Johnson British Novelist, Critic
- Hugh Walpole English Novelist
- Jane Austen English Novelist
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