Quotation by

William Hazlitt

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.

Advertisement

Understanding this quote AI Analysis

William Hazlitt is saying that we often fool ourselves about how much we truly value our friends, pretending to hold them in higher regard than we actually do. In reality, our feelings about friends are shaped mainly by how they make us feel, whether positively or negatively, rather than by an objective judgment of their worth.

More by this author

All quotes by William Hazlitt →

More quotes about Truth

See all →
Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.
Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.
Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

Advertisement

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.