William Makepeace Thackeray Quotes

There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up the pen to write.

I have long gone about with a conviction on my mind that I had a work to do - a Work, if you like, with a great W; a Purpose to fulfil; ... a Great Social Evil to Discover and to Remedy.

Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?

To love and win is the best thing.
To love and lose, the next best.

It was in the reign of George II. that the above-named personages lived and quarrelled ; good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now

Here is a minute. It may be my love is dead, but here is a minute to kneel over the grave and pray by it.

Some cynical Frenchman has said that there are two parties to a love-transaction: the one who loves and the other who condescends to be so treated.

It may be whispered to those uninitiated people who are anxious to know the habits and make the acquaintance of men of letters, that there are no race of people who talk about books, or, perhaps, who read books, so little as literary men.

Revenge may be wicked, but it’s natural.

But it's a changeable world! When we consider how great our sorrow seem, and how small they are; how we think we shall die of grief, and how quickly we forget, I think we ought to be ashamed of ourselves and our fickle-heartedness. For, after all, what business has Time to bring us consolation?

A lady who sets her heart upon a lad in uniform must prepare to change lovers pretty quickly, or her life will be but a sad one.

A woman with fair opportunities, and without an absolute hump, may marry WHOM SHE LIKES.

If a man's character is to be abused, say what you will, there's nobody like a relative to do the business.

Who has not remarked the readiness with which the closest of friends and honestest of men suspect and accuse each other of cheating when they fall out on money matters? Everybody does it. Everybody is right, I suppose, and the world is a rogue.

In a word, in adversity she was the best of comforters, in good fortune the most troublesome of friends...

Money has only a different value in the eyes of each.

Let the man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim. Attacking is his only secret. Dare, and the world always yields: or, if it beat you sometimes, dare again, and it will succumb.

Good humor may be said to be one of the very best articles of dress one can wear in society.