Henry Fielding Quotes

Among the numerous stratagems by which pride endeavors to recommend folly to regard, there is scarcely one that meets with less success than affectation, or a perpetual disguise of the real character by fictitious appearances.

Through tattered clothes, small vices do appear. Robes and furred gowns hide all.

The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff.

One may be humble out of pride.

O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

Whenever there are great virtues, it's a sure sign something's wrong.

Nothing so soothes our vanity as a display of greater vanity in others; it make us vain, in fact, of our modesty.

Pride perceiving humility honorable, often borrows her cloak.

What hypocrites we seem to be whenever we talk of ourselves! Our words sound so humble, while our hearts are so proud.

… they seem to be such as would not swear, whore, nor be drunk, but they would lie, cozen and deceive.

Vice, in its true light, is so deformed, that it shocks us at first sight; and would hardly ever seduce us, if it did not at first wear the mask of some virtue.

Fewer possess virtue, than those who wish us to believe that they possess it.

I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God has given you one face, and you make yourselves another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and nick-name God's creatures, and make your wantonness your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't; it hath made me mad.

The world's flattery and hypocrisy is a sweet morsel: eat less of it, for it is full of fire. Its fire is hidden while its taste is manifest, but its smoke becomes visible in the end.

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

No vice exists which does not pretend to be more or less like some virtue, and which does not take advantage of this assumed resemblance.

Many a peacock hides his peacock tail from all eyes--and calls it his pride.

Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under it.

Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.

If pride is a sin ... moral pride is the greatest sin.

However evil men may be they dare not be openly hostile to virtue, and so when they want to attack it they pretend to find it spurious , or impute crimes to it.

We are oft to blame in this, - 'tis too much proved, - that with devotion's visage, and pios action we do sugar o'er the devil himself.

It is a fault, not a virtue, to wish your humility recognized and applauded.

Preserve me from such cordiality! It is like handling briar-roses and may-blossoms - bright enough to the eye, and outwardly soft to the touch, but you know there are thorns beneath, and every now and then you feel them too; and perhaps resent the injury by crushing them in till you have destroyed their power, though somewhat to the detriment of your own fingers.

What we take for virtue is often nothing but an assemblage of different actions, and of different interests, that fortune or our industry knows how to arrange.