If a person is to get the meaning of life he must learn to like the facts about himself -- read more

If a person is to get the meaning of life he must learn to like the facts about himself -- ugly as they may seem to his sentimental vanity -- before he can learn the truth behind the facts. And the truth is never ugly.

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a
lie: to be laid in read more

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a
lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than
vanity.

Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.

Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.

That which makes the vanity of others unbearable to us is that
which wounds our own.
[Fr., Ce read more

That which makes the vanity of others unbearable to us is that
which wounds our own.
[Fr., Ce qui nous rend la vanite des autres insupportable, c'est
qu'elle blesse la notre.]

Vanity keeps persons in favor with themselves who are out of favor with all others

Vanity keeps persons in favor with themselves who are out of favor with all others

Magnanimous people have no vanity, they have no jealousy, and they feed on the true and the solid wherever they read more

Magnanimous people have no vanity, they have no jealousy, and they feed on the true and the solid wherever they find it. And, what is more, they find it everywhere.

Vanity is so secure in the heart of man that everyone wants to be admired: even I who write this, read more

Vanity is so secure in the heart of man that everyone wants to be admired: even I who write this, and you who read this.

Vain? Let it be so! Nature was her teacher,
What if a lovely and unsistered creature
Loved read more

Vain? Let it be so! Nature was her teacher,
What if a lovely and unsistered creature
Loved her own harmless gift of pleasing feature.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.,

Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain:
Fought all his battles o'er again;
And thrice he read more

Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain:
Fought all his battles o'er again;
And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain.