233. Offense "Men hate more steadily than they love; and if I have said something to hurt a man once, I shall not get the better of this by saying many things to please him." Boswell: Life Link 598. Fallibility; Offense; Pride "The resentment which the discovery of a fault or folly produces must bear a certain proportion to our pride, and will regularly be more acrimonious as pride is more immediately the principle of action." Johnson: Rambler #40 (August 4, 1750) Link 599. Fallibility; Offense; Pride; Vanity "In whatever ... we wish or imagine ourselves to excel, we shall always be displeased to have our claims to reputation be disputed, and more displeased, if the accomplishment be such as can expect reputation only for its reward." Johnson: Rambler #40 (August 4, 1750) Link 600. Friendship; Offense "It is by no means necessary to imagine that he who is offended at advice was ignorant of the fault, and resents the admonition as a false charge; for perhaps it is most natural to be enraged when there is the strongest conviction of our own guilt. While we can easily defend our character, we are no more disturbed at an accusation than we are alarmed by an enemy whom we are sure to conquer; and whose attack, therefore, will bring us honour without danger. But when a man feels the reprehension of a friend seconded by his own heart, he is easily heated into resentment and revenge, either because he hoped that the fault of which he was conscious had escaped the notice of others; or that his friend had looked upon it with tenderness and extenuation, and excused it for the sake of his other virtues; or had considered him as too wise to need advice, or too delicate to be shocked with reproach; or, because we cannot feel without pain those reflections roused which we have been endeavouring to lay asleep; and when pain has produced anger, who would not willingly believe, that it ought to be discharged on others than on himself?" Johnson: Rambler #40 (August 4, 1750) Link 601. Friendship; Honesty; Offense "The resentment produced by sincerity, whatever be its immediate cause, is so certain, and generally so keen, that very few have magnanimity sufficient for the practice of a duty, which above most others exposes its votaries to hardships and persecutions; yet friendship without it is of very little value, since the great use of so close an intimacy is, that our virtues may be guarded and encouraged, and our vices repressed in their first appearance by timely detection and salutary remonstrances." Johnson: Rambler #40 (August 4, 1750) Link 1,460. Conviviality; Offense "Of those with whom nature and virtue oblige us to converse, some are ignorant of the arts of pleasing, and offend when they design to caress; some are negligent, and gratify themselves without regard to the quiet of another; some, perhaps, are malicious, and feel no greater satisfaction in prosperity than that of raising envy and trampling inferiority. But whatever be the motive of insult, it is always best to overlook it; for folly scarcely can deserve resentment, and malice is punished by neglect." Johnson: Rambler #200 (February 15, 1752) Link