Charles Lamb Quotes

Ostentation is the signal flag of hypocrisy.

A man is ridiculous less through the characteristics he has than through those he affects to have.

They are so knowing, that they know nothing.

He wrapped himself in quotations - as a beggar would enfold himself in the purple of Emperors.

Style equals pretense.

We are never so ridiculous through what we are as through what we pretend to be.

Great affectation and great absence of it are at first sight very similar.

Affectation hath always had a greater share both in the action and discourse of men than truth and judgment have.

With old liars who have been acting all their lives there are moments when they enter so completely into their part that they tremble or shed tears in earnest, although at that very moment, or a second later, they are able to whisper to themselves, "You know you are lying, you shameless old sinner! You're acting now, in spite of your 'holy' wrath.

Vanity Fair is a very vain, wicked, foolish place, full of all sorts of humbugs and falsenesses and pretensions.

People think I'm as shallow and superficial as I look, and it's a surprise when they find out, sure enough, I am.

I must confess I am a fop in my heart; ill customs influence my very senses, and I have been so used to affectation that without the help of the air of the court what is natural cannot touch me.

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.

The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in. He must reflect what is projected upon him. And he must have a strong sense of the sardonic. This is what uncouples him from belief in his own pretensions. The sardonic is all that permits him to move within himself. Without this quality, even occasional greatness will destroy a man.

The thing about hipsters is that they take very seriously trying to make themselves look like they don't take themselves seriously.

Affectation naturally counterfeits those excellences which are placed at the greatest distance from possibility of attainment, because, knowing our own defects, we eagerly endeavor to supply them with artificial excellence.

In Leon's account of his life, no-one was mean-spirited, no-one schemed or lied or betrayed; everyone was celebrated at least in some degree... Leon turned out to be a spineless, grinning idiot.

Oh, for a pin that would puncture pretension!

The vices we scoff at in others laugh at us within ourselves.

I had become a perfect fake human, saying the stupid and pointless things that humans say to each other all day long.

Discourses on humility are a source of pride in the vain and of humility in the humble. So those on scepticism cause believers to affirm. Few men speak humbly of humility, chastely of chastity, few doubtingly of scepticism.

A sense of absurdity interferes with my efforts to appear venerable.

I am sure the man who powders most, perfumes most, embroiders most, and talks most nonsense, is most admired. Though to be candid, there are some who have too much good sense to esteem such monkey-like animals as these, in whose formation, as the saying is, the tailors and barbers go halves with God Almighty.

What humbugs we are, who pretend to live for beauty, and never see the dawn!

When I see hipsters wearing Mao hats or Lenin T-shirts, I'm grateful. It's like truth-in-labeling. For now I know you are: Woefully ignorant, morally stunted, purposively asinine, or all three.