Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.

The world more often rewards the appearances of merit than merit itself.

The world more often rewards the appearances of merit than merit itself.

It sounds like stories from the land of spirits,
If any man obtain that which he merits,
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It sounds like stories from the land of spirits,
If any man obtain that which he merits,
Or any merit that which he obtains.

View the whole scene, with critic judgment scan,
And then deny him merit if you can.
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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.

On their own merits modest men are dumb.

On their own merits modest men are dumb.

He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends

He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends

Speak little and well if you wish to be esteemed a person of merit.

Speak little and well if you wish to be esteemed a person of merit.

True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes.

True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes.

Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.

Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.