Jonathan Swift Quotes
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Would a writer know how to behave himself with relation td posterity? Let him consider in old books what he finds that he is glad to know, and what omissions he most laments.
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It is pleasant to observe how free the present age is in laying taxes on the next. "Future ages shall talk of this; they shall be famous to all posterity;" whereas their time and thoughts will be taken up about present things, as ours are now.
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Vanity is a mark of humility rather than of pride.
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"Lawyers Are": Those whose interests and abilities lie in perverting, confounding and eluding the law.
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Reasoning will never make a man correct an ill opinion, which by reasoning he never acquired.
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The sight of you is good for sore eyes.
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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.
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Words are but wind; and learning is nothing but words; ergo, learning is nothing but wind.
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For though, in nature, depth and height Are equally held infinite: In poetry, the height we know; 'Tis only infinite below.
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I love white Portugal wine better than claret, champagne, or burgundy. I have a sad vulgar appetite.
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Judges... are picked out from the most dextrous lawyers, who are grown old or lazy, and having been biased all their lives against truth or equity, are under such a fatal necessity of favoring fraud, perjury and oppression, that I have known several of them to refuse a large bribe from the side where justice lay, rather than injure the faculty by doing any thing unbecoming their nature in office.
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I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.
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Modesty may make a fool seem a man of sense.
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Men who possess all the advantages of life are in a state where there are many accidents to disorder and discompose, but few to please them.
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And he gave it for his opinion, "that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together.
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What religion is he of? Why, he is an Anythingarian.
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There is no quality so contrary to any nature which one cannot affect, and put on upon occasion, in order to serve an interest.
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We have an intuitive sense of our duty.
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When a man of genius appears in the world, it is immediately recognized by the fact that all the blockheads join forces against him.
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She wears her clothes as if they were thrown on with a pitchfork.
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Vision is the Art of seeing Things invisible.
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I have now lost my barrier between me and death; God grant I may live to be as well prepared for it, as I confidently believe her to have been! If the way to Heaven be through piety, truth, justice and charity, she is there.
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Promises and pie-crust are made to be broken.
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My nose itched, and I knew I should drink wine or kiss a fool.