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.

Between flattery and admiration there often flows a river of contempt.

Between flattery and admiration there often flows a river of contempt.

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.

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

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

Men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty billows of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, read more

Men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty billows of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of the ocean, and the circuits of the stars, and pass themselves by.

A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.

A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.

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

The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.

The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.

To admire nothing, (as most are wont to do;)
Is the only method that I know,
To read more

To admire nothing, (as most are wont to do;)
Is the only method that I know,
To make men happy, and to keep them so.