A Quote by William R. Alger

False eloquence is exaggeration; true eloquence is emphasis.

William R. Alger

Quote Topics

Eloquence Emphasis Exaggeration False True

Quote Author

William R. Alger
American - Writer
1823 - 1905

True eloquence scorns eloquence.

Blaise Pascal

True eloquence forgoes eloquence.

Andre Gide

Eloquence is relative. One can no more pronounce on the eloquence of any composition than the wholesomeness of a medicine, without knowing for whom it is intended.

Richard Whately

True eloquence makes light of eloquence, true morality makes light of morality; that is to say, the morality of the judgment, which has no rules, makes light of the morality of the intellect.... To make light of philosophy is to be a true philosopher.

Blaise Pascal

The Lord is no respector of persons, and will give success to all who work for it. If l can only impress upon the minds of the youth of Zion the eloquence, the inexpressible eloquence of work, I shall feel fully repaid.

Heber J. Grant

Borrowed eloquence, if it contains as good stuff, is as good as own eloquence

John Adams

One who has accumulated virtue will certainly also possess eloquence; but he who has eloquence doe not necessarily possess virtue.

Confucius

Indeed, there is an eloquence in true enthusiasm that is not to be doubted.

Washington Irving

True eloquence makes light of eloquence. True morality makes light of morality.

Blaise Pascal

Copiousness of words, however ranged, is always false eloquence, though it will ever impose on some sort of understandings.

Mary Wortley Montagu

A man avails himself of the truth so long as it is serviceable; but he seizes on what is false with a passionate eloquence as soon as he can make a momentary use of it.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

True eloquence consists in saying all that should be said, and that only.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

If our eloquence be directed above the heads of our hearers, we shall do no execution. By pointing our arguments low, we stand a chance of hitting their hearts as well as their heads. In addressing angels, we could hardly raise our eloquence too high; but we must remember that men are not angels.

Charles Caleb Colton

Genuine laughter is true eloquence and more effective than speech

Mahatma Gandhi

I just don't think people get off on language anymore. Language used to be an elevated art. It used to be for people what music can be. But people don't learn to do that anymore, so eloquence is merely a matter of waste. Who needs a good vocabulary and proper English? Eloquence - it's dead and who needs it?