Merit Quotes

That man, we may be sure, is a person of true worth, whom those who envy him most are yet forced to praise.

Moderation is represented as a virtue in order to restrain the ambition of great men, and to console those of a meaner condition in their lesser merit and fortune.

The appearances of goodness and merit often meet with a greater reward from the world than goodness and merit themselves.

It is oftener by the estimation of our own feelings that we exaggerate the good qualities of others than by their merit, and when we praise them we wish to attract their praise.

There are persons whose only merit consists in saying and doing stupid things at the right time, and who ruin all if they change their manners.

I'm not a rubber stamp, and people know that. If you can convince me of the merits, you will have my vote every time.

If they're not sincere, then naturally I'll turn them down. But if what they want is to gain power and use it for a higher good, I'll help them. Then they merit some special consideration.

The arrogance that accompanies merit offends us even more than the arrogance of people who are lacking in merit: since merit itself offends us.

Two men are equally free from the rage of ambition; are they therefore equal in merit? Perhaps not; one may be above ambition, the other below it.

The British are apt to make merits of their stupidities, and to represent their various incapacities as points of good breeding.

Only where there is pecuniary equality can the distinction of merit stand out.

They say fortune is a woman and capricious. But sometimes she is a good woman, and gives to those who merit.

On the Continent stray cats are judged individually on their merit-some are loved, some are only respected; in England they are universally worshipped as in ancient Egypt.

There is no test of literary merit except survival, which is itself an index to majority opinion.

The intensity of a national culture should be represented by... the general education level and... the exceptional merit of a small elite of pioneers.

Merit rarely goes unrewarded.

When liberals advocate a value-added tax, conservatives should respond: Taxing consumption has merits, so we will consider it - after the 16th Amendment is repealed.

I enjoy thinking myself into other times and places. I don't like some of the conventions of the 'historical novel', but I think there's a way of doing it that has a lot of merit.

It is no merit in the sorrowful that they weep, or to the oppressed and smothering that they gasp and struggle, not to me, that I must speak for the oppressed - who cannot speak for themselves.

Homeliness is almost as great a merit in a book as in a house, if the reader would abide there. It is next to beauty, and a very high art.

Though we may sometimes unintentionally bestow our beneficence on the unworthy, it does not take from the merit of the act. For charity doth not adopt the vices of its objects.

Most black leaders, whether left, right or center, from Frederick Douglas and Martin Delaney on in the middle of the 19th century have not even wondered about the merits of the capitalist system.

Fame is an accident; merit a thing absolute.

The entire merit of a man can never be made known; nor the sum of his demerits, if he have them. We are only known by our names; as letters sealed up, we but read each other's superscriptions.

We hate merit while it is with us; when taken away from our gaze, we long for it jealously.

Imagine a man besottedly in love: he won't waste time speculating whether other women equally merit his affection.

If the golden gate of preferment is not usually opened to men of real merit, persons of no worth have entered it in a most extraordinary manner.

Football is a metaphor for the kind of country we want to create. It's based on merit.

Who are to be the objects of popular choice? Every citizen whose merit may recommend him to the esteem and confidence of his country.

We certainly do not forget you, so soon as you forget us. It is, perhaps, our fate rather than our merit. We cannot help ourselves.

To yield readily--easily--to the persuasion of a friend is no merit.... To yield without conviction is no compliment to the understanding of either.

When we are dead we are praised by those who survive us, though we frequently have no other merit than that of being no longer alive.

A lofty birth or a large fortune portend merit, and cause it to be the sooner noticed.

A coxcomb is the blockhead's man of merit.

This [service to oppressed] is the writer's task, and, if he fulfills it as he should, he acquires no merit from it.

I judge each person on individual merits.

In America, what makes us so successful is the innovation, the competition, the focus on merit.

Three things characterize man: person, fate, merit--the harmony of these constitutes real grandeur.

I have always paid attention to the merits of my enemies, and found it an advantage.

The name of Christ excludes all merit of our own.

I don’t think the United States has done anything whatsoever to merit any criticism by the British.

It is not virtue, wisdom, valour, wit, Strength, comeliness of shape, or amplest merit, That woman's love can win, or long inherit; But what it is, hard is to say, Harder to hit.

Mere bashfulness without merit is awkward; and merit without modesty, insolent. But modest merit has a double claim to acceptance, and generally meets with as many patrons as beholders.

It's a profession where merit is not necessarily rewarded.

But then you begin to understand that the reward of merit is not life’s business.

I think every period - except for the 14th century, or something - has some merits.

His [Donald Trump ]comments are shocking, offensive and disturbing but I don't believe it merits a ban at this point in time.

I appreciate having been promoted for merit, on merit. And then bringing to bear whatever those extra special characteristics that all of us have.

When you bring an idea that has no merit to me, and you ask me to comment on it, I'm going to tell you it has no merit.

It is better not to make merit a matter of reward Lest people conspire and contend.