We ought not to extract pernicious honey from poison blossoms of misrepresentation and mendacious half-truth, to pamper the course appetite of bigotry and self-love.
Samuel Taylor ColeridgeRead
And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that pride can disguise itself as humility, ultimately leading to one's downfall.
In this quote, Coleridge illustrates the deceptive nature of pride, implying that it can masquerade as a virtue like humility. This duality captures the internal struggle of a person who may outwardly project modesty while still harboring an excessive sense of self-importance, ultimately suggesting that such pride is a sin that can lead to spiritual and moral degradation.
Themes
PrideHumilitySinDeceptionSelf-Importance
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion about the nature of pride in a personal development seminar.
More from Samuel Taylor Coleridge
All quotes βCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Samuel Taylor ColeridgeRead
And all who heard should see them there, And all should cry, Beware! Beware! His flashing eyes, his floating hair! Weave a circle round him thrice, And close your eyes with holy dread, For he on honey-dew hath fed, And drunk the milk of Paradise.
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Often do the spirits stride on before the event; and in today already walks tomorrow.
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Mr. Lyell's system of geology is just half the truth, and no more. He affirms a great deal that is true, and he denies a great deal which is equally true; which is the general characteristic of all systems not embracing the whole truth.
Samuel Taylor ColeridgeRead
To believe and to understand are not diverse things, but the same things in different periods of growth.
Samuel Taylor ColeridgeRead
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