Surely, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propped by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way, nor called upon
For high feats done to th' crown, neither allied
To eminent assistants, but spiderlike
Out of his self-drawing web, 'a gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way,
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.
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We start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them.
We start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them.
Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.
Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.
The same principle leads us to neglect a man of merit that
induces us to admire a fool.
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The same principle leads us to neglect a man of merit that
induces us to admire a fool.
[Fr., Du meme fonds dont on neglige un homme de merite l'on sait
encore admirer un sot.]
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.
Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded
Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded
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.
There's a proud modesty in merit; averse from asking, and resolved to pay ten times the gifts it asks.
There's a proud modesty in merit; averse from asking, and resolved to pay ten times the gifts it asks.
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.
On their own merits modest men are dumb.
On their own merits modest men are dumb.
