Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Charm strikes the sight, but merit wins the soul.

By merit raised
To that bad eminence.

By merit raised
To that bad eminence.

The more merit, the less affection

The more merit, the less affection

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely
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For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin?

The world rewards the appearance of merit oftener than merit
itself.
[Fr., Le monde recompense plus souvent les read more

The world rewards the appearance of merit oftener than merit
itself.
[Fr., Le monde recompense plus souvent les apparences de merite
que le merite meme.]

Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded

Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded

We should try to succeed by merit, not by favor. He who does
well will always have patrons enough.
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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.]

On their own merits modest men are dumb.

On their own merits modest men are dumb.

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.