But it cannot be denied that he was touched by an overweening ambition, and that when England fell beneath his hand, he ruled her more as a king than a regent, and forgot that he was but the deputy and representative of the nation.
He was full of a bigoted self-sufficiency that arose from an overweening belief in his own good intentions and wisdom.
No doubt my statement is a little exaggerated, but my fellows and I have an overweening self-conceit.
He who least likes courting favor, ought also least to think of resenting neglect: to feel wounded at being refused a distinction can only arise from an overweening appetite to have it.
Others may fall around us like leaves, or be mowed down like flowers by the scythe of Time: these are but tropes and figures to the unreflecting ears and overweeningpresumption of youth.
In every measure to increase the income of the crown he was hampered by the overweening power of the Cabinet, who were reluctant to give up a jot or tittle of their ill-acquired wealth.
He had now an opposite task to perform, to guard against an overweening confidence inspired by the recent triumph.
Washington had already been disgusted by the overweening presumption of Conway, and was surprised to hear that his application was likely to be successful.
As the Baron was very well aware, he had none of his uncle's rigidity of ambition, none of his overweening impulse to be personally great.
Her vitality, her obstinacy, her overweening sense of her own position, might well have beaten down before them his superiorities and his rights.
Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: 'He speaks aright, and but as another would deem, in that he shuns the outrage of overweening men.
And, conceited as we all are, I think most men exceed him in the art of concealing from others their overweening faith in their own sagacity and discernment.
Judged by his letters at this period, it is suggested that he had an overweening sense of his own importance; he thought that he held in his hands the destinies of his country.
Nor does his attempt fail from any overweening or blindness, in himself.
Like the sages of old, Confucius had an overweening faith in the effect of example.
Hereupon the Sultan, who at all times lacked moneys, notwithstanding the heavy tribute he levied on all merchandise, commanded that Herdegen and the Bohemian should be led away again and then he asked this overweening ransom.
My brother's response to this letter was a challenge to the Junker; yet had he not perchance been in such hot haste, save that he had long burned to punish the overweening young noble who had given him many an uneasy hour.
She got on with Louise very well; if Mrs. Maxwell had any overweening pride in her son, she kept it as wholly to herself as any overweening pride she might have had in her son's choice.
He said that it tamed his overweeningpride to find that there was artistic ability employing itself with literature which was so unlike literary ability.
This section of the letter exhibits a very pretty ebullition of overweening self-conceit.
That very night, or rather morning, he found occasion to regret his overweening confidence.
About the overweening regal state of Alexander, outdoing even the previous Persian kings, see Pylarchus apud Athenaeum, xii.
But notwithstanding all this, he resolved to assault the place; for a certain overweening and insolent boast uttered by the barbarians had thrown him into a wrathful state of ambitious pertinacity.
Others may fall around us like leaves, or be mowed down by the scythe of Time like grass: these are but metaphors to the unreflecting, buoyant ears and overweening presumption of youth.
I once showed a person of this overweening turn (with no small triumph, I confess) a letter of a very flattering description I had received from the celebrated Count Stendhal, dated Rome.
It is true, that yielding to the tendency of our frail, overweening nature to push enjoyment of every kind to its utmost verge, men too often overshoot the mark, and frustrate the object they have most at heart, by eagerness to accomplish it.
It is astonishing how constantly fond overweening prejudice deceives itself.
From these causes, operating jointly, resulted undue caution at the North and overweening confidence at the South.
