“The rare few, who, early in life, have rid themselves of the friendship of the many.”

Dedication
1870 - 1903, The Gentle Art of Making Enemies' (1890)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The rare few, who, early in life, have rid themselves of the friendship of the many." by James McNeill Whistler?
James McNeill Whistler photo
James McNeill Whistler 26
American-born, British-based artist 1834–1903

Related quotes

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell photo

“Government will always be conducted for the benefit of those who govern. If the few alone govern, the interests of the few only will be provided for; if the people themselves have a share in the government, the interests of the many will be consulted.”

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792–1878) leading Whig and Liberal politician who served as Prime Minister on two occasions

Source: Essays and Sketches of Life and Character (1820), p. 136

“The men who succeed are the efficient few. They are the few who have the ambition and will power to develop themselves.”

Herbert N. Casson (1869–1951) Canadian journalist and writer

Herbert N. Casson cited in: Supervisory Management. Vol. 1 (1955). p. 60
1950s and later

Thomas Henry Huxley photo

“I can assure you that there is the greatest practical benefit in making a few failures early in life. You learn that which is of inestimable importance — that there are a great many people in the world who are just as clever as you are.”

Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–1895) English biologist and comparative anatomist

"On Medical Education" (1870) http://aleph0.clarku.edu/huxley/CE3/MedEd.html
1870s
Context: I can assure you that there is the greatest practical benefit in making a few failures early in life. You learn that which is of inestimable importance — that there are a great many people in the world who are just as clever as you are. You learn to put your trust, by and by, in an economy and frugality of the exercise of your powers, both moral and intellectual; and you very soon find out, if you have not found it out before, that patience and tenacity of purpose are worth more than twice their weight of cleverness.

Jean De La Fontaine photo
Clement Attlee photo

“There were few who thought him a starter,
Many who thought themselves smarter.
But he ended PM,
CH and OM,
an Earl and a Knight of the Garter.”

Clement Attlee (1883–1967) Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Kenneth Harris, Attlee (Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London, 1982)
Self-penned limerick.
1960s

Alain de Botton photo
Sydney Smith photo

“Life is to be fortified by many friendships. To love, and to be loved, is the greatest happiness of existence.”

Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English writer and clergyman

"Of Friendship"
Lady Holland's Memoir (1855)

Joseph Addison photo

“The greatest sweetener of human life is Friendship. To raise this to the highest pitch of enjoyment, is a secret which but few discover.”

Joseph Addison (1672–1719) politician, writer and playwright

As quoted in Hugs for Girlfriends : Stories, Sayings, and Scriptures to Encourage and Inspire (2001) by Philis Boultinghouse and LeAnn Weiss, p. 7; there seem to be no published sources available for this statement prior to 2001.
Disputed

Eugene V. Debs photo

“The hand tools of early times are used no more. Mammoth machines have taken their place. A few thousand capitalists own them and many millions of workingmen use them.”

Eugene V. Debs (1855–1926) American labor and political leader

The Socialist Party and the Working Class (1904)

Related topics