Definitions HQ

Comparison (n.) alone ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠fixes praise and blame: a man who has never compared kinds of beauty is totally unqualified to judge any.

Comparison (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in every case a sure method of augmenting our esteem of anything: a rich man feels his felicity better by setting it against a beggar.

Comparison (n.) rules ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠our judgments because men are so little governed by reason: one hand heated, the other cooled, and the same water feels both hot and cold.

Comparison (n.) with ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠others is something we do constantly, but upward, with our superiors; the philosopher turns his gaze downward — though a good-natured man should find more sorrow than comfort there.

Comparison (n.) destroys ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠pride twice over: comparing ourselves with others we find we are not distinguished, and comparing our possessions we find the same unlucky circumstance.