--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a softness and a harmony in the…" description: "\"There is a softness and a harmony in the words and in the thought unparalleled. Of all conceits it is surely the most classical. \"I count only the hour..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/william-hazlitt-326_conceit_there-is-a-softness-and-a-harmony-in-the_1230082.png" --- # There is a softness and a harmony in the words and in the… ![“There is a softness and a harmony in the words and in the thought unparalleled. Of all conceits it is surely the most classical. "I count only the hours that are serene.".” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/william-hazlitt-326_conceit_there-is-a-softness-and-a-harmony-in-the_1230082.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/william-hazlitt-326_conceit_there-is-a-softness-and-a-harmony-in-the_1230082.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/william-hazlitt-326_conceit_there-is-a-softness-and-a-harmony-in-the_1230082.png) > “There is a softness and a harmony in the words and in the thought unparalleled. Of all conceits it is surely the most classical. "I count only the hours that are serene.".” [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote celebrates the elegant, harmonious quality of thoughtful language, suggesting true classical style lies in serene, measured expression. **In simple terms:** Elegant, harmonious language reflects classical beauty. Key Takeaway Seek calm, measured expression in writing. Themes literature classicism beauty Mood reflective appreciative Type aesthetic inspirational When to use this quote - writing essays - public speaking - creative writing - teaching literature Key Concepts aesthetic harmony serenity classical style Questions to Reflect On - How does serenity affect persuasiveness? - Can calm language convey urgency? A Different Perspective May overlook the need for emotional intensity in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceit/) [Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmony/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Hours Serene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours-serene-1595474/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Serene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serene/) [Softness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/softness/) [Softness Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/softness-harmony-3801353/) [Surely Classical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surely-classical-3801354/) [Thought Unparalleled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-unparalleled-3801355/) ## Related quotes > [If our hours were all serene, we might probably take almost as little note of them as the dial does of those that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/if-our-hours-were-all-serene-we-might-probably-take-almost-as-little/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I do not think classical music faces any threat because new music is being made through computer, as the real charm of classical is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adnan-sami/i-do-not-think-classical-music-faces-any-threat-because-new-music-is/) [Adnan Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adnan-sami/) > [I count only the hours that are serene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/i-count-only-the-hours-that-are-serene/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [Language, if it throws a veil over our ideas, adds a softness and refinement to them, like that which the atmosphere gives to naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/language-if-it-throws-a-veil-over-our-ideas-adds-a-softness-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Conceit is vanity driven from all other shifts, and forced to appeal to itself for admiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/conceit-is-vanity-driven-from-all-other-shifts-and-forced-to-appeal/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Envy is the most universal passion. We only pride ourselves on the qualities we possess, or think we possess; but we envy the pretensions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/envy-is-the-most-universal-passion-we-only-pride-ourselves-on-the/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We judge of others for the most part by their good opinion of themselves; yet nothing gives such offense or creates so many enemies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-judge-of-others-for-the-most-part-by-their-good-opinion-of/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [This soft grass suggests 'softness' to me, but also at the same time 'lying-down-ness'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rennison/this-soft-grass-suggests-softness-to-me-but-also-at-the-same-time/) [Louise Rennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rennison/) > [I don't want to overvalue Donald Trump as some historical rupture, and to admit that I do think Trump is an indication of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-clover/i-don-t-want-to-overvalue-donald-trump-as-some-historical-rupture-and/) [Joshua Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-clover/) > [We touched with a softness that pushed through the skin into memory, like arms plunged into a river - we could feel the weight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/we-touched-with-a-softness-that-pushed-through-the-skin-into-memory/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [When you move as openness and softness of heart you’re moving in this life within your self in the same way that your being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-you-move-as-openness-and-softness-of-heart-you-re-moving-in-this/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [If you die of cancer with only openness and softness in your heart, you will live and die integrating your self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/if-you-die-of-cancer-with-only-openness-and-softness-in-your-heart/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [I burn, I freeze; I am never warm. I am rigid; I forgot softness because it did not serve me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/i-burn-i-freeze-i-am-never-warm-i-am-rigid-i-forgot-softness-because/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Staring at her face, she began to fancy her outer layer had begun to melt away while she wasn't paying attention, and something --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/staring-at-her-face-she-began-to-fancy-her-outer-layer-had-begun-to/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [And a softness came from the starlight and filled me full to the bone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-softness-came-from-the-starlight-and-filled-me-full-to-the-bone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by William Hazlitt > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The discussing the characters and foibles of common friends is a great sweetness and cement of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-discussing-the-characters-and-foibles-of-common-friends-is-a/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Want of principle is power. Truth and honesty set a limit to our efforts, which impudence and hypocrisy easily overleap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/want-of-principle-is-power-truth-and-honesty-set-a-limit-to-our/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/repose-is-as-necessary-in-conversation-as-in-a-picture/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/no-act-terminating-in-itself-constitutes-greatness/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit--or a mask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/vice-is-man-s-nature-virtue-is-a-habit-or-a-mask/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-never-do-anything-well-till-we-cease-to-think-about-the-manner/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/man-is-the-only-animal-that-laughs-and-weeps-for-he-is-the-only/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who have had none of the cares of this life to harass and disturb them, have been obliged to have recourse to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/those-who-have-had-none-of-the-cares-of-this-life-to-harass-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-despicable-but-takes-an/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are not satisfied to be right, unless we can prove others to be quite wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-not-satisfied-to-be-right-unless-we-can-prove-others-to-be/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The world judge of men by their ability in their profession, and we judge of ourselves by the same test: for it is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-world-judge-of-men-by-their-ability-in-their-profession-and-we/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The best part of our lives we pass in counting on what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-part-of-our-lives-we-pass-in-counting-on-what-is-to-come/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) [Explore all 671 William Hazlitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## More Conceit quotes > [“A session of boasting won't attract any real friends.  It will set you up on a pedestal, however, making you a clearer target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-session-of-boasting-won-t-attract-any-real-friends-it-will-set-you/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Conceit is a sure sign of insecurity; humility denotes awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivaya-subramuniyaswami/conceit-is-a-sure-sign-of-insecurity-humility-denotes-awareness/) [Sivaya Subramuniyaswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivaya-subramuniyaswami/) > [Conceit is a weird disease - it makes everybody sick except the guy who has it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/conceit-is-a-weird-disease-it-makes-everybody-sick-except-the-guy-who/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [History repeats the old conceits, the glib replies, the same defeats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/history-repeats-the-old-conceits-the-glib-replies-the-same-defeats/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Being carefree, you can fit in anywhere. If you’re not carefree you keep on bumping up against things. Your life becomes so narrow, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsoknyi-rinpoche/being-carefree-you-can-fit-in-anywhere-if-you-re-not-carefree-you/) [Tsoknyi Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsoknyi-rinpoche/) > [This man, who for twenty-five years has been reading and writing about art, and in all that time has never understood anything about art,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/this-man-who-for-twenty-five-years-has-been-reading-and-writing-about/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [There is nothing like a good bit of pain for taking the conceit out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/there-is-nothing-like-a-good-bit-of-pain-for-taking-the-conceit-out/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [If you want to conquer conceit, do not desire praise, laurels, nice garments, respect, favor, but like to be blamed and slandered by people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-aleksandrovich-antonov/if-you-want-to-conquer-conceit-do-not-desire-praise-laurels-nice/) [Vladimir Aleksandrovich Antonov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-aleksandrovich-antonov/) > [The smaller the mind, the greater the ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-smaller-the-mind-the-greater-the-ego/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [If a man thinks he is not conceited, he is very conceited indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-man-thinks-he-is-not-conceited-he-is-very-conceited-indeed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is simple ignorance, which is the source of lighter offenses, and double ignorance, which is accompanied by a conceit of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/there-is-simple-ignorance-which-is-the-source-of-lighter-offenses-and/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Jesus regularly visualized the success of his efforts ... 'I always do what pleases God.' ... Was this conceit? Or was it enlightened creativity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-beth-jones/jesus-regularly-visualized-the-success-of-his-efforts-i-always-do/) [Laurie Beth Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-beth-jones/) > [“Took long enough,” she called out, not wanting to admit how the sight of him made her throat hitch, how the man was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mcintyre/took-long-enough-she-called-out-not-wanting-to-admit-how-the-sight-of/) [Katherine McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mcintyre/) [Browse all 360 Conceit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a softness and a harmony in the words and in the thought unparalleled. 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