Quote#World
No Habit or Quality is more easily acquir'd than Hypocrisy, nor any…
Quote byBernard Mandeville · 1670–1733
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: The Fable of the Bees (1714), "An Essay on Charity, and Charity-Schools", p. 319.
English (original)
No Habit or Quality is more easily acquir'd than Hypocrisy, nor any thing sooner learn'd than to deny the Sentiments of our Hearts and the Principle we act from: But the Seeds of every Passion are innate to us, and no body comes into the World without them.
— Bernard Mandeville
More from Bernard Mandeville
The worst of all the Multitude Did something for the Common Good.
Thus every Part was full of Vice, Yet the whole Mass a Paradise; Flatter'd in Peace, and fear'd in Wars, They were th' Esteem of Foreigners, And lavish of their Wealth and Lives, The Balance of all other Hives.
Thus Vice nurs'd Ingenuity, Which join'd with Time and Industry, Had carry'd Life's Conveniences, It's real Pleasures, Comforts, Ease, To such a Height, the very Poor Liv'd better than the Rich before.
Vast Numbers throng'd the fruitful Hive; Yet those vast Numbers made 'em thrive; Millions endeavouring to supply Each other's Lust and Vanity.
They put off hearings wilfully, To finger the refreshing fee.
Luxury Employ'd a Million of the Poor, And odious Pride a Million more; Envy it self, and Vanity, Were Ministers of Industry; Their darling Folly, Fickleness,