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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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.
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.]
We start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them.
We start with gifts. Merit comes from what we make of them.
Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded
Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded
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.
If you wish in this world to advance your merits you're bound to enhance; you must stir it and stump read more
If you wish in this world to advance your merits you're bound to enhance; you must stir it and stump it, and blow your own trumpet, or, trust me, you haven't a chance.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely
read more
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?
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.
We should try to succeed by merit, not by favor. He who does
well will always have patrons enough.
read more
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.]
