Charles Lamb Quotes
Shut not thy purse-strings always against painted distress. Act a charity sometimes. When a poor creature (outwardly and visibly such) comes before thee, do not stay to inquire whether the "seven small children," in whose name he implores thy assistance, have a veritable existence. Rake not into the bowels of unwelcome truth, to save a halfpenny. It is good to believe him.
Lamb, Charles. "A Complaint of the Decay of Beggars in the Metropolis." The Essays of Elia. Taylor and Hessey, 1823, p. 272.
This proverb is a succinct statement of one governmental philosophy of coping with poverty and hardship. It is often uttered when compassion takes the form of intangibles, prayer, advice, training, and search for root causes.
Charles Lamb was an English essayist, poet, and antiquarian, best known for his Essays of Elia and for the children's book Tales from Shakespeare, co-authored with his sister, Mary Lamb (1764–1847).