A man who does not endeavour to seem more than he is will generally be thought nothing of. We habitually make such large deductions for pretence and imposture that no real merit will stand against them. It is necessary to set off our good qualities with a certain air of plausibility and self-importance, as some attention to fashion is necessary.
Look at a person's light, not their lampshade.
Wealth, title, office, are no recommendations to my friendship. On the contrary, great good qualities are requisite to make amends for their having wealth, title, and office.
I don't know. Just because someone's pretty doesn't mean she's decent. Or vice versa. I'm not into appearances. I like flaws, I think they make things interesting.
The qualities we have do not make us so ridiculous as those which we affect to have. [Fr., On n'est jamais si ridicule par les qualites que l'on a que par celles que l'on affecte d'avoir.]
It is only the superficial qualities that last. Man's deeper nature is soon found out.
Get beyond his eyes and his smile and the sheen of his hair - look at what's really there.
I'll pretend that I want you for what is on the inside.
We are made ridiculous less by our defects than by the affectation of qualities which are not ours.
