Jonathan Swift Quotes
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There is no talent so useful toward rising in the world, or which puts men more out of the reach of fortune, than that quality generally possessed by the dullest sort of men, and in common speech called discretion; a species of lower prudence, by the assistance of which, people of the meanest intellectuals, without any other qualification, pass through the world in great tranquillity, and with universal good treatment, neither giving nor taking offence.
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Argument, as usually managed, is the worst sort of conversation, as it is generally in books the worst sort of reading.
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Wise people are never less alone than when they are alone.
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Books, the children of the brain.
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You must take the will for the deed.
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Positiveness is a good quality for preachers and speakers because, whoever shares his thoughts with the public will convince them as he himself appears convinced.
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One enemy can do more hurt than ten friends can do good.
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Have you not observed that there is a lower kind of discretion and regularity, which seldom fails of raising men to the highest station in the court, the church, and the law?
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There never appear more than five or six men of genius in an age, but if they were united the world could not stand before them.
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A lie is an excuse guarded.
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It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so universal as death, should ever have been designed by providence as an evil to mankind.
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We have enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.
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War: that mad game the world so loves to play.
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All Pretences of foretelling by Astrology, are Deceits; for this manifest Reason, because the Wise and Learned, who can only judge whether there be any Truth in this Science, do all unanimously agree to laugh at and despise it; and none but the poor ignorant Vulgar give it any Credit.
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From not the gravest of Divines, Accept for once some serious Lines.
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Story-telling is subject to two unavoidable defects,--frequent repetition and being soon exhausted; so that, whoever values this gift in himself, has need of a good memory, and ought frequently to shift his company.
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The first springs of great events, like those of great rivers, are often mean and little.
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She watches him as a cat would watch a mouse.
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Some men, under the notion of weeding out prejudice, eradicate virtue, honesty and religion.
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Exploding many things under the name of trifles is a very false proof either of wisdom or magnanimity, and a great check to virtuous actions with regard to fame.
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Ay, do despise me, I'm the prouder for it; I like to be despised.
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Complaint is the largest tribute heaven receives and the sincerest part of our devotion.
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Men of great parts are often unfortunate in the management of public business, because they are apt to go out of the common road by the quickness of their imagination.
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Ever eating, never cloying, All-devouring, all-destroying Never finding full repast, Till I eat the world at last.