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Quotes by S. Swift
86 quotations from The Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1896), with the subject each one is filed under.
Under this window in stormy weather I marry this man and woman together; Let none but Him who rules the thunder Put this man and woman asunder.— filed under Matrimony
how he Gained Them. Every man desires to live long; but no man would be old.— filed under Affliction
Moral and Diverting. I swear she's no chicken; she's on the wrong side of thirty, if she be a day.— filed under Affliction
Review. Oct., 1882. 'Tis happy for him that his father was born before him.— filed under Ancestry
You are yoked with a lamb, That carries anger as the flint bears fire; Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark, And straight is cold again. Julius Cæsar. Act IV. Sc. 3. L. 109. Not die here in a rage, like a poisoned rat in a hole.— filed under Anger
She wears her clothes as if they were thrown on her with a pitchfork.— filed under Apparel
She looks as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.— filed under Appearance
The Jackdaw of Rheims. An old miser kept a tame jackdaw, that used to steal pieces of money, and hide them in a hole, which a cat observing, asked, "Why he would hoard up those round shining things that he could make no use of?" "Why," said the jackdaw, "my master has a whole chestfull, and makes no more use of them than I do."— filed under Birds-Jackdaw
There's none so blind as they that won't see.— filed under Blindness
Books, the children of the brain.— filed under Books
A nice man is a man of nasty ideas.— filed under Chastity
I'm up and down and round about, Yet all the world can't find me out; Though hundreds have employed their leisure, They never yet could find my measure.— filed under Circles
Hobbes clearly proves that every creature Lives in a state of war by nature.— filed under Vii
War, that mad game the world so loves to play.— filed under Vii
Faith, that's as well said as if I had said it myself.— filed under Confession
of Tristram Shandy. (Orig. ed.) Vol. III. Ch. XII. For, poems read without a name, We justly praise, or justly blame; And critics have no partial views, Except they know whom they abuse. And since you ne'er provoke their spite, Depend upon't their judgment's right.— filed under Criticism
I shall be like that tree, -I shall die at the top.— filed under Deceit
Those dreams, that on the silent night intrude, And with false flitting shades our minds delude, Jove never sends us downward from the skies; Nor can they from infernal mansions rise; But are all mere productions of the brain, And fools consult interpreters in vain.— filed under Dreams
Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live. Attributed to SOCRATES by PLUTARCH- Morals. How a Young Man Ought to Hear Poems. He was a bold man that first eat an oyster.— filed under Eating
Dialogue II. Lord, Madame, I have fed like a farmer; I shall grow as fat as a porpoise.— filed under Eating
Dialogue II. They say fingers were made before forks, and hands before knives.— filed under Eating
Never sleeping, still awake, Pleasing most when most I speak; The delight of old and young, Though I speak without a tongue. Nought but one thing can confound me, Many voices joining round me, Then I fret, and rave, and gabble, Like the labourers of Babel.— filed under Economy
I mean you lie-under a mistake. aa.— filed under Falsehood
An Address before the Literary Societies of Amherst College. Aug. 11, 1847. Censure is the tax a man pays to the public for being eminent.— filed under Fame
They say fish should swim thrice *** first it should swim in the sea (do you mind me?) then it should swim in butter, and at last, sirrah, it should swim in good claret.— filed under Fish
'Tis an old maxim in the schools. That flattery's the food of fools; Yet now and then your men of wit Will condescend to take a bit.— filed under Flirting
Where Young must torture his invention To flatter knaves, or lose his pension.— filed under Flirting
The violets ope their purple heads; The roses blow, the cowslip springs.— filed under Flirting
He had been eight years upon a project for extracting sunbeams out of cucumbers, which were to be put in phials hermetically sealed, and let out to warm the air in raw, inclement summers.— filed under Folly
She has more goodness in her little finger than he has in his whole body.— filed under Gossip
Stedman. Censure is the tax a man pays to the public for being eminent.— filed under Greatness
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. Julius Cæsar. Act III. Sc. 2. L. 78. Hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear. Julius Cæsar. Act III. Sc. 2. L. 13. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, Had you a healthful ear to hear of it. Julius Cæsar. Act II. Sc. 1. L. 318. They never would hear, But turn the deaf ear, As a matter they had no concern in.— filed under Hearing
A blockhead, bit by fleas, put out the light, And chuckling cried, "Now you can't see to bite." S. Greek Anthology. It was many and many a year ago, In a District styled E. C., That a monster dwelt whom I came to know By the name of Cannibal Flea, And the brute was possessed with no other thought Than to live-and to live on me. THOS. HOOD, JR. - The Cannibal Flea. Parody on POE'S Annabel Lee. So, naturalists observe, a flea Has smaller fleas that on him prey; And these have smaller still to bite 'em, And so proceed ad infinitum.— filed under Insects-Flea
Finde. Hail, fellow, well met, All dirty and wet: Find out, if you can, Who's master, who's man.— filed under Investigation
A college joke to cure the dumps.— filed under Jesting
Lord! I wonder what fool it was that first invented kissing.— filed under Kisses
May you live all the days of your life.— filed under Life
Par. 148. In all I wish, how happy should I be, Thou grand Deluder, were it not for thee? So weak thou art that fools thy power despise; And yet so strong, thou triumph'st o'er the wise.— filed under Love
X. Ch. IV. When I beheld this I sighed, and said within myself, Surely man is a Broomstick!— filed under Man
The reason why so few marriages are happy is because young ladies spend their time in making nets, not in making cages.— filed under Matrimony
of the Century. I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards the Tartar: Then the half, and then the whole, Ever dancing round the pole.— filed under Monuments
I'll give you leave to call me anything, if you don't call me spade. น.— filed under Nature
This was the noblest Roman of them all : All the conspirators save only he Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar; He only, in a general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them. Julius Cæsar. Act V. Sc. 5, L. 68. The two noblest of things, which are sweetness and light.— filed under Oaths
Whoe'er excels in what we prize, Appears a hero in our eyes; Each girl, when pleased with what is taught, Will have the teacher in her thought. A blockhead with melodious voice, In boarding-schools may have his choice. S.— filed under Occupations-Tailoring
Irrawadde. The tucked-up sempstress walks with hasty strides, While streams run down her oil'd umbrella's sides.— filed under Occupations-Undertakers
Then, rising with Aurora's light, The Muse invoked, sit down to write; Blot out, correct, insert, refine, Enlarge, diminish, interline.— filed under Poets
Unjustly poets we asperse: Truth shines the brighter clad in verse, And all the fictions they pursue Do but insinuate what is true. и.— filed under Poets
A penny for your thought.— filed under Proverbs
Bread is the staff of life.— filed under Proverbs
Do you think I was born in a wood to be afraid of an owl?— filed under Proverbs
1320. Fingers were made before forks and hands before knives.— filed under Proverbs
Hail, fellow, well met.— filed under Proverbs
Home is where the heart is. dd. dd. PLINY. Homo proponit et Deus disponit And governeth alle goode virtues. ee. Piers Ploughman. L. 13,994. How we apples swim. ff.— filed under Proverbs
I won't quarrel with my bread and butter. hh.— filed under Proverbs
Sharp's the word with her. ii.— filed under Proverbs
There's two words to that bargain.— filed under Proverbs
The sight of you is good for sore eyes.— filed under Proverbs
Walls have tongues, and hedges ears. ff.— filed under Proverbs
A black sheep is a biting beast. d. BASTARD'S CHRESTOLEROS. 1598. P. 90. A blind bargain. Merrie Tales of the Madmen of Gottam. 1630. No. 13. Abstain from beans. PYTHAGORAS to his Followers. See also PLUTARCH. Of the Training of Children. A carpenter's known by his chips.— filed under Prosperity
She watches him as a cat would watch a mouse.— filed under Iii
'Tis as cheap sitting as standing.— filed under Borbonius
'Tis nothing when you are used to it.— filed under Borbonius
aa. Ch. IV. You must take the will for the deed. bb.— filed under Providence
I won't quarrel with my bread and butter.— filed under Quotation
Fine words! I wonder where you stole them.— filed under Rain
I know Sir John will go, though he was sure it would rain cats and dogs.— filed under Rain
Par. 43. He made it a part of his religion, never to say grace to his meat.— filed under Religion
We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.— filed under Religion
Moral and Diverting. What religion is he of? Why, he is an Anythingarian.— filed under Religion
Convey a libel in a frown, And wink a reputation down! и.— filed under Resignation
Pope's trans. She pays him in his own coin.— filed under Retaliation
A prince, the moment he is crown'd, Inherits every virtue sound, As emblems of the sovereign power, Like other baubles in the Tower: Is generous, valiant, just, and wise, And so continues till he dies.— filed under Ruin
Poetry. Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne. There is none so blind as they that won't see.— filed under Silence
Atlas, we read in ancient song, Was so exceeding tall and strong, He bore the skies upon his back, Just as the pedler does his pack; But, as the pedler overpress'd Unloads upon a stall to rest, Or, when he can no longer stand, Desires a friend to lend a hand, So Atlas, lest the ponderous spheres Should sink, and fall about his ears, Got Hercules to bear the pile, That he might sit and rest awhile.— filed under Students
The two noblest of things, which are sweetness and light.— filed under Sweetness
She sits tormenting every guest, Nor gives her tongue one moment's rest, In phrases batter'd, stale, and trite, Which modern ladies call polite.— filed under Tea
Ever eating, never cloying, All-devouring, all-destroying, Never finding full repast, Till I eat the world at last.— filed under Time
Street. Calais. I always love to begin a journey on Sundays, because I shall have the prayers of the church to preserve all that travel by land or by water.— filed under Treason
Letter to Gen. Moreau Truth is the work of God; lies are the works of man. MADAME DE STAËL Germany. Pt. IV. Ch. II Tell truth, and shame the devil.— filed under Truth
Virtue often trips and falls on the sharpedged rock of poverty. EUGÈNE SUE. Virtue, the greatest of all monarchies.— filed under Virtue
If Heaven had looked upon riches to be a valuable thing, it would not have given them to such a scoundrel.— filed under Wealth
I've often wished that I had clear, For life, six hundred pounds a year, A handsome house to lodge a friend, A river at my garden's end, A terrace walk, and half a rood Of land, set out to plant a wood.— filed under Wit
Of all the girls that e'er was seen, There's none so fine as Nelly.— filed under Woman
The artillery of words.— filed under Words
There was all the world and his wife.— filed under Work
Houre. It is a maxim, that those to whom everybody allows the second place have an undoubted title to the first.— filed under Worth