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He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends
He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends
If you wish in this world to advance your merits you're bound to enhance; you must stir it and stump read more
If you wish in this world to advance your merits you're bound to enhance; you must stir it and stump it, and blow your own trumpet, or, trust me, you haven't a chance.
He who sows the ground with care and diligence acquires a greater stock of religious merit than he could gain read more
He who sows the ground with care and diligence acquires a greater stock of religious merit than he could gain by the repetition of ten thousand prayers
Contemporaries appreciate the man rather than his merit; posterity will regard the merit rather than the man.
Contemporaries appreciate the man rather than his merit; posterity will regard the merit rather than the man.
Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded
Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded
 There is a season for man's merit as well as for fruit.
 [Fr., Le merite des hommes a sa read more 
 There is a season for man's merit as well as for fruit.
 [Fr., Le merite des hommes a sa saison aussi bien que les 
fruits.] 
 We should try to succeed by merit, not by favor. He who does 
well will always have patrons enough.
read more 
 We should try to succeed by merit, not by favor. He who does 
well will always have patrons enough.
 [Lat., Virtute ambire oportet, non favitoribus.
  Sat habet favitorum semper, qui recte facit.] 
 Thy father's merit sets thee up to view,
 And shows thee in the fairest point of light,
  read more 
 Thy father's merit sets thee up to view,
 And shows thee in the fairest point of light,
  To make thy virtues, or thy faults, conspicuous. 
 View the whole scene, with critic judgment scan,
 And then deny him merit if you can.
  Where read more 
 View the whole scene, with critic judgment scan,
 And then deny him merit if you can.
  Where he falls short, 'tis Nature's fault alone
   Where he succeeds, the merit's all his own.