400 Quotes by William Makepeace Thackeray

If a secret history of books could be written, and the author’s private thoughts and meanings noted down alongside of his story, how many insipid volumes would become interesting, and dull tales excite the reader!

A pair of bright eyes with a dozen glances suffice to subdue a man; to enslave him, and enflame him; to make him even forget; they dazzle him so that the past becomes straightway dim to him; and he so prizes them that he would give all his life to possess ’em.

A man is seldom more manly than when he is what you call unmanned, – the source of his emotion is championship, pity, and courage; the instinctive desire to cherish those who are innocent and unhappy, and defend those who are tender and weak.

If I mayn’t tell you what I feel, what is the use of a friend?

Ah me! we wound where we never intended to strike; we create anger where we never meant harm; and these thoughts are the thorns in our cushion. – William Makepeace Thackeray.

One of the greatest of a great man’s qualities is success; ’t is the result of all the others; ’t is a latent power in him which compels the favor of the gods, and subjugates fortune.

Are not there little chapters in everybody’s life, that seem to be nothing, and yet affect all the rest of the history?

A snob is that man or woman who is always pretending to be something better – especially richer or more fashionable – than he is.

Then sing as Martin Luther sang, As Doctor Martin Luther sang, “Who loves not wine, woman and song, He is a fool his whole life long.”