Great hypocrite are the real atheists.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Hypocrites kick with their hind feet while licking with their tongues
—Russian Proverb
As a man loves gold, in that proportion he hates to be imposed upon by counterfeits; and in proportion as a man has regard for that which is above price and better than gold, he abhors that hypocrisy which is but its counterfeit.
—Richard Cecil
Hypocrisy is nothing, in fact, but a horrible hopefulness.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
Hypocrisy, detest her as we may, and no man’s hatred ever wronged her yet, may claim this merit still, that she admits the worth of what she mimics with such care.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
One may smile and smile and be a villain still.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A bad man is worse when he pretends to be a saint.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Mathematics allows for no hypocrisy and no vagueness
—Stendhal (Marie-Henri Beyle) (1783–1842) French Writer
If the devil ever laughs, it must be at hypocrites; they are the greatest dupes he has; they serve him better than any others, but receive no wages; nay, what is still more extraordinary, they submit to greater mortifications to go to hell, than the sincerest Christian to go to heaven.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Manners are the hypocrisy of a nation.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
Hypocrite reader – my fellow – my brother.
—Jerome (347–420) Greek Priest, Apologist, Saint
An ounce of hypocrisy is worth a pound of ambition.
—Michael Korda (b.1933) English-born Writer, Novelist
Prudery is the hypocrisy of modesty
—Indian Proverb
Many a man’s reputation would not know his character if they met on the street.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
If we divine a discrepancy between a man’s words and his character, the whole impression of him becomes broken and painful; he revolts the imagination by his lack of unity, and even the good in him is hardly accepted.
—Charles Cooley (1864–1929) American Sociologist
False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Hypocrisy is the homage that vice pays to virtue.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Most everyone seems willing to be a fool himself, but he can’t bear to have anyone else one.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
The hypocrite shows the excellence of virtue by the necessity he thinks himself under of seeming to be virtuous.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Our laws make law impossible; our liberties destroy all freedom; our property is organized robbery; our morality an impudent hypocrisy; our wisdom is administered by inexperienced or mal-experienced dupes; our power wielded by cowards and weaklings; and our honour false in all its points. I am an enemy of the existing order for good reasons
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world—though the cant of hypocrites may be the worst—the cant of criticism is the most tormenting!
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
Throughout our lives, we see in the mirror the same innocent trusting face we have seen there since childhood.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
One ought to look a good deal at oneself before thinking of condemning others.
—Moliere (1622–73) French Playwright
Every man alone is sincere. At the entrance of a second person, hypocrisy begins. We parry and fend the approach of our fellow-man by compliments, by gossip, by amusements, by affairs. We cover up our thought from him under a hundred folds.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
A man generally has two reasons for doing a thing. One that sounds good, and a real one.
—J. P. Morgan (1837–1913) American Financier, Philanthropist, Art Collector
We are companions in hypocrisy.
—William Dean Howells (1837–1920) American Novelist, Critic
Hypocrisy is the most difficult and nerve-racking vice that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance and a rare detachment of spirit. It cannot, like adultery or gluttony, be practiced at spare moments; it is a whole-time job.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
He who would do good to another must do it in Minute Particulars. General Good is the plea of the scoundrel, hypocrite, and flatterer; For Art and Science cannot exist but in minutely organized particles.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Be what you would seem to be—or, if you’d like it put more simply—never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
—Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) (1832–98) British Anglican Author, Mathematician, Clergyman, Photographer, Logician
Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get. Where there is no ventilation fresh air is declared unwholesome. Where there is no religion hypocrisy becomes good taste. Where there is no knowledge ignorance calls itself science.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
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