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Virtue and Vice
The Whole Truth
562. Affectation;
Hypocrisy
"Affectation is to be always distinguished from hypocrisy, as
being the art of counterfeiting those qualities which we might,
with innocence and safety, be known to want. Thus the man, who,
to carry on any fraud, or to conceal any crime, pretends to
rigours of devotion and exactness of life, is guilty of
hypocrisy; and his guilt is greater, as the end, for which he
puts on the false appearance, is more pernicious. But he that,
with an awkward dress, and unpleasing countenance, boasts of the
conquests made by him among the ladies, and counts over the
thousands which he might have possessed if he would have
submitted to the yoke of matrimony, is chargeable only with
affectation. Hypocrisy is the necessary burden of
villainy,affectation part of the chosen trappings of folly; the
one completes a villain, the other only finishes a fop. Contempt
is the proper punishment of affectation, and detestation the just
consequence of hypocrisy."
Johnson: Rambler #20 (May 26, 1750)
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841. Hypocrisy
"The difference between approving laws and obeying them is
frequently forgotten; he that acknowledges the obligations of
morality, and pleases his vanity with enforcing them to others,
concludes himself zealous in the cause of virtue, though he has
no longer any regard to her precepts than they conform to his own
desires; and counts himself among her warmest lovers, because he
praises her beauty, though every rival steals away his
heart."
Johnson: Rambler #76 (December 8, 1750)
Link
843. Hypocrisy; Responsibility
"None are so industrious to detect wickedness, or so ready to
impute it, as they whose crimes are apparent and confessed. They
envy an unblemished reputation, and what they envy they are busy
to destroy: they are unwilling to suppose themselves meaner and
more corrupt than others, and therefore willingly pull down from
their elevations those with whom they cannot rise to an
equality."
Johnson: Rambler #76 (December 8, 1750)
Link
846. Hypocrisy; Letters; Self-Knowledge;
Vanity
"To charge those favourable representations which men give of
their own minds with the guilt of hypocritical falsehood, would
show more severity than knowledge. The writer commonly believes
himself. Almost every man's thoughts, while they are general,
are right; and most hearts are pure while temptation is away.
It is easy to awaken generous sentiments in privacy; to despise
death when there is no danger; to glow with benevolence when
there is nothing to be given. While such ideas are formed they
are felt, and self-love does not suspect the gleam of virtue to
be the meteor of fancy."
Johnson: Pope (Lives of the Poets)
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928. Hypocrisy; Implementation;
Resolutions
"It is not uncommon to charge the difference between promise and
performance, between profession and reality, upon deep design and
studied deceit: but the truth is, that there is very little
hypocrisy in the world; we do not so often endeavour or wish to
impose on others as on ourselves; we resolve to do right, we
hope to keep our resolutions, we declare them to confirm our own
hope, and fix our own inconstancy by calling witnesses of our
actions; but at last habit prevails, and those whom we invited
to our triumph laugh at our defeat."
Johnson: Idler #27 (October 21, 1758)
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