64 Quotes by Edwin Percy Whipple

A true teacher should penetrate to whatever is vital in his pupil, and develop that by the light and heat of his own intelligence.

A politician weakly and amiably in the right, is no match for a politician tenaciously and pugnaciously in the wrong.

Even in social life, it is persistency which attracts confidence, more than talents and accomplishments.

Whenever you find humour, you find pathos close by its side.

Felicity, not fluency of language, is a merit.

Cervantes shrewdly advises to lay a bridge of silver for a flying enemy.

The greatness of action includes immoral as well as moral greatness – Cortes and Napoleon, as well as Luther and Washington.

There is a natural disposition with us to judge an author’s personal character by the character of his works. We find it difficult to understand the common antithesis of a good writer and a bad man.

As men neither fear nor respect what has been made contemptible, all honor to him who makes oppression laughable as well as detestable. Armies cannot protect it then; and walls which have remained impenetrable to cannon have fallen before a roar of laughter or a hiss of contempt.