Quotes by William Makepeace Thackeray

About William Makepeace Thackeray:

William Makepeace Thackeray is famous for his satirical works, particularly Vanity Fair, a panoramic portrait of English society.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up the pen to write.

William Makepeace Thackeray

It may be whispered to those uninitiated people who are anxious to know the habits and make the acquaintance of men of letters, that there are no race of people who talk about books, or, perhaps, who read books, so little as literary men.

William Makepeace Thackeray

What part of confidante has that poor teapot played ever since the kindly plant was introduced among us! Why myriads of women have cried over it, to be sure! [...] Nature meant very kindly by women when she made the tea plant; and with a little thoug...

William Makepeace Thackeray

Let the man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim. Attacking is his only secret. Dare, and the world always yields: or, if it beat you sometimes, dare again, and it will succumb.

William Makepeace Thackeray

But it's a changeable world! When we consider how great our sorrow , and how small they ; how we think we shall die of grief, and how quickly we forget, I think we ought to be ashamed of ourselves and our fickle-heartedness. For, after all, what busi...

William Makepeace Thackeray

I have long gone about with a conviction on my mind that I had a work to do—a Work, if you like, with a great W; a Purpose to fulfil; ... a Great Social Evil to Discover and to Remedy.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Mark to yourself the gradual way in which you have been prepared for, and are now led by an irresistible necessity to enter upon your great labour.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Good humor is one of the best articles of dress one can wear in society.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Good humor may be said to be one of the very best articles of dress one can wear in society.

William Makepeace Thackeray

It was in the reign of George II. that the above-named personages lived and quarrelled ; good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now

William Makepeace Thackeray

A lady who sets her heart upon a lad in uniform must prepare to change lovers pretty quickly, or her life will be but a sad one.

William Makepeace Thackeray

I hope the artist who illustrates this work will take care to do justice to his portrait. Mr. Clive himself, let that painter be assured, will not be too well pleased if his countenance and figure do not receive proper attention.

William Makepeace Thackeray

She had not character enough to take to drinking, and moaned about, slip-shod and in curl-papers, all day.

William Makepeace Thackeray

A woman may possess the wisdom and chastity of Minerva, and we give no heed to her, if she has a plain face. What folly will not a pair of bright eyes make pardonable? What dullness may not red lips are sweet accents render pleasant? And so, with the...

William Makepeace Thackeray

Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?

William Makepeace Thackeray

If a man's character is to be abused, say what you will, there's nobody like a relative to do the business.

William Makepeace Thackeray

Who has not remarked the readiness with which the closest of friends and honestest of men suspect and accuse each other of cheating when they fall out on money matters? Everybody does it. Everybody is right, I suppose, and the world is a rogue.

William Makepeace Thackeray

In a word, in adversity she was the best of comforters, in good fortune the most troublesome of friends...

William Makepeace Thackeray

he began to feel that she was very lonely indeed. “If he’d been here,” she said, “those cowards would never have dared to insult me.” She thought about “him” with great sadness and perhaps longing--about his honest, stupid, constant kin...

William Makepeace Thackeray

Vanity Fair--Vanity Fair! Here was a man, who could not spell, and did not care to read--who had the habits and the cunning of a boor: whose aim in life was pettifogging: who never had a taste, or emotion, or enjoyment, but what was sordid and foul; ...

William Makepeace Thackeray

Author Bio

  • NameWilliam Makepeace Thackeray
  • Descriptionnovelist
  • BornJuly 18, 1811
  • DiedDecember 24, 1863
  • CountryUnited Kingdom
  • ProfessionWriter; Novelist
  • WorksVanity Fair