44 Quotes by Benjamin Haydon

The explanation of the propensity of the English people to portrait painting is to be found in their relish for a Fact. Let a man do the grandest things, fight the greatest battles, or be distinguished by the most brilliant personal heroism, yet the English people would prefer his portrait to a painting of the great deed. The likeness they can judge of; his existence is a Fact. But the truth of the picture of his deeds they cannot judge of, for they have no imagination.

Genius in poverty is never feared, because nature, though liberal in her gifts in one instance, is forgetful in another.

Men of genius are often considered superstitious, but the fact is, the fineness of their nerve renders them more alive to the supernatural than ordinary men.

Do your duty, and don't swerve from it. Do that which your conscience tells you to be right, and leave the consequences to God.

How difficult it is to get men to believe that any other man can or does act from disinterestedness!

Some persons are so devotional they have not one bit of true religion in them.

Satan is to be punished eternally in the end, but for a while he triumphs.

Mistrusts sometimes come over one's mind of the justice of God. But let a real misery come again, and to whom do we fly? To whom do we instinctively and immediately look up?

Never disregard what your enemies say. They may be severe, they may be prejudiced, they may be determined to see only in one direction, but still in that direction see clearly. They do not speak all the truth, but they generally speak the truth from one point of view; so far as that goes, attend to them.