Pride is founded not on the sense of happiness, but on the sense of power.
William HazlittRead
Shall I faint, now that I have poured out the spirit of my mind to the world, and treated many subjects with truth, with freedom, with power, because I have been followed with one cry of abuse ever since for not being a Government tool?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the struggle of expressing one's truth amidst criticism and societal expectations.
In this quotation, William Hazlitt expresses the tension between personal conviction and external judgment. He contemplates the emotional toll of exposing one’s thoughts and truths to the world, especially when faced with backlash for not conforming to the expectations of authority. Hazlitt’s words highlight the challenges of maintaining authenticity and courage despite opposition, emphasizing the value of freedom of expression.
Themes
TruthFreedomCriticismAuthenticityExpression
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of freedom of speech, one might quote Hazlitt to emphasize the dangers of criticism against honest expression.
More from William Hazlitt
All quotes →The world loves to be amused by hollow professions, to be deceived by flattering appearances, to live in a state of hallucination; and can forgive everything but the plain, downright, simple, honest truth.
William HazlittRead
Our repugnance to death increases in proportion to our consciousness of having lived in vain.
William HazlittRead
We can bear to be deprived of everything but our self-conceit.
William HazlittRead
There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.
William HazlittRead
Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.
William HazlittRead
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