The only things one can admire at length are those one admires without knowing why.

The only things one can admire at length are those one admires without knowing why.

What I have known with respect to myself, has tended much to lessen both my admiration, and my contempt, of read more

What I have known with respect to myself, has tended much to lessen both my admiration, and my contempt, of others.

The king himself has follow'd her
When she has walk'd before.

The king himself has follow'd her
When she has walk'd before.

The best emotions to write out of are anger and fear or dread. . . . The least energizing emotion read more

The best emotions to write out of are anger and fear or dread. . . . The least energizing emotion to write out of is admiration . . . because the basic feeling that goes with admiration is a passive contemplative mood.

Admiration is the daughter of ignorance.

Admiration is the daughter of ignorance.

here is an innocence in admiration; it is found in those to whom it has never yet occurred that they, read more

here is an innocence in admiration; it is found in those to whom it has never yet occurred that they, too, might be admired some day.

Admiration is a very short-lived passion, that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object.

Admiration is a very short-lived passion, that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object.

Some people are molded by their admirations, others by their hostilities.

Some people are molded by their admirations, others by their hostilities.

"Not to admire, is all the art I know
(Plain truth, dear Murray, needs few flowers of speech)
read more

"Not to admire, is all the art I know
(Plain truth, dear Murray, needs few flowers of speech)
To make men happy, or to keep them so."
(So take it in the very words of Creech)
Thus Horace wrote we all know long ago;
And thus Pope quotes the precept to re-teach
From his translation; but had none admired,
Would Pope have sung, or Horace been inspired?