Anthony Trollope

Many people talk much, and then very many people talk very much more.

He was essentially a truth-speaking man, if only he know how to speak the truth.

All history, all romance, all poetry and all prose, taught him that perseverance in love was generally crowned with success, — that true love rarely was crowned with success except by perseverance.

I doubt whether patriotism can stand the wear and tear and temptation of the front benches in the House of Commons.

Caveat emptor is the only motto going, and the worst proverb that ever came from the dishonest stony-hearted Rome.

“I should have thought any dealer would have taken him back for the sake of his character.”

“Any dealer would; but — I bought him from a gentleman.”

People go on quarrelling and fancying this and that, and thinking that the world is full of romance and poetry. When they get married they know better.

Making love to a sweet, soft, blushing, willing, though silent girl is a pleasant employment; but the task of declaring love to a stony-hearted, obdurate, ill-conditions Diana is very disagreeable for any gentleman. And it is the more so when the gentleman really loves, — or thinks that he loves, — his Diana.

He becomes strenuous, energetic, and perhaps eager for what must after all be regarded as success, and at last he fights for a verdict rather than for the truth.

An enemy might at any time become a friend, but while an enemy was an enemy he should be trodden on and persecuted.

“Perhaps I had better tell you the truth, Mr. Gresham.”

“Oh, certainly,” said the Prime Minister, who knew very well that on such occasions nothing could be worse than the telling of disagreeable truths.

He made his point well; but he made it too often. And an attack of that kind, personal and savage in its nature, loses its effect when it is evident that the words have been prepared. A good deal may be done in dispute by calling a man an ass or a knave, — but the resolve to use the words should have been made only at the moment, and they should come hot from the heart.