William Congreve Quotes - Page 3

Quotes about:

• A hungry wolf at all the herd will run, In hopes, through many, to make sure of one.

  William Congreve

  Running, Hungry, Herds

  William Congreve, Elijah Fenton (1779). “The Works of the English Poets”, p.127

  7 Copy quote

• I came up stairs into the world, for I was born in a cellar.

  William Congreve

  World, Upstairs, Born

  'Love for Love' (1695) act 2, sc. 7

  7 Copy quote

• If happiness in self-content is placed, The wise are wretched, and fools only blessed.

  William Congreve

  Wise, Blessed, Self

  William Wycherley, William Congreve, Sir John Vanbrugh, George Farquhar, Leigh Hunt (1840). “The Dramatic Works of Wycherley, Congreve, Vanbrugh, and Farquhar: With Biographical and Critical Notices”, p.188

  4 Copy quote

• Who pleases one against his will.

  William Congreve

  Pleasure, Please

  "The Way of the World". Book by William Congreve, Epilogue, 1700.

  4 Copy quote

• Beauty is the lover's gift.

  William Congreve

  Beauty, Lovers

  'The Way of the World' (1700) act 2, sc. 4

  7 Copy quote

• I hope you do not think me prone to any iteration of nuptials.

  William Congreve

  Thinking

  'The Way of the World' (1700) act 4, sc. 12

  4 Copy quote

• Thou art a retailer of phrases, and dost deal in remnants of remnants.

  William Congreve

  Art, Phrases, Remnants

  John Bell, Joseph Addison, Michael Arne, John Banks, John Brown (1796). “British Theatre: Bonduca”

  15 Copy quote

• She once used me with that insolence, that in revenge I took her to pieces; sifted her, and separated her failings; I studied 'em, and got 'em by rote. The catalogue was so large, that I was not without hopes, one day or other to hate her heartily.

  William Congreve

  Revenge, Hate, One Day

  1700 The Way of the World, act 1, sc.3.

  15 Copy quote

• All well bred persons lie - Besides, you are a woman; you must never speak what you think.

  William Congreve

  Lying, Thinking, Speak

  Mr. William Congreve, Edmund Smith (1720). “Love for Love”, p.51

  4 Copy quote

• O ay, letters - I had letters - I am persecuted with letters - I hate letters - nobody knows how to write letters; and yet one has 'em, one does not know why - they serve one to pin up one's hair.

  William Congreve

  Hate, Writing, Hair

  1700 The Way of the World, act 2, sc.5.

  4 Copy quote

• Some by experience find those words mis-placed: At leisure married, they repent in haste.

  William Congreve

  Experience, Haste, Leisure

  'The Old Bachelor' (1693) act 5, sc. 8

  4 Copy quote

• No, I'm no enemy to learning; it hurts not me.

  William Congreve

  Hurt, Enemy, It Hurts

  William. II Congreve William Wycherley (John Vanbrugh and Farquhar George), William. II Wycherley, William Congreve, George Farquhar, John Vanbrugh (1840). “Dramatic Works with Biographical and Critical Notices by Leigh Hunt. - London, Moxon 1840”, p.273

  7 Copy quote

• Thus in this sad, but oh, too pleasing state! my soul can fix upon nothing but thee; thee it contemplates, admires, adores, nay depends on, trusts on you alone.

  William Congreve

  Soul, States, Thee

  9 Copy quote

• Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with those in verse.... I never pin up my hair with prose."

  William Congreve

  Hair, Poetry, Letters

  5 Copy quote

• I know that’s a secret, for it’s whispered everywhere.

  William Congreve

  Secret, Knows

  'Love for Love' (1695) act 3, sc. 3

  4 Copy quote

• Let us be very strange and well-bred:Let us be as strange as if we had been married a great while;And as well-bred as if we were not married at all.

  William Congreve

  Strange, Married, Wells

  'The Way of the World' (1700) act 4, sc. 5

  4 Copy quote

• Hannibal was a very pretty fellow in those days.

  William Congreve

  Fellows

  William Congreve (1694). “The Old Batchelour ... The fourth edition, corrected”, p.11

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• One minute gives invention to destroy; What to rebuild, will a whole age employ.

  William Congreve

  Giving, Age, Invention

  William Congreve (1775). “The old batchelor. The double-dealer. Love for love. The mourning bride”, p.102

  4 Copy quote

• Invention flags, his brain goes muddy,
  And black despair succeeds brown study.

  William Congreve

  Black, Brain, Despair

  "An Impossible Thing". Poem by William Congreve, 1720.

  8 Copy quote

• A woman only obliges a man to secrecy, that she may have the pleasure of telling herself.

  William Congreve

  Men, May, Pleasure

  Colley Cibber, Sir Richard Steele, George Farquhar, sir John Vanbrugh, William Congreve (1765). “THE ENGLISH THEATRE IN EIGHT VOLUMES: CONTAINING The Most Valuable PLAYS Which Have Been Acted on the LONDON STAGE.. INCONSTANT. By Mr. Farzuhar ; LOVE FOR LOVE. By Mr. Congreve ; LOVE MAKES A MAN. By C. Cibber, Esq. ; LYING LOVER. By Sir Rich. Steele ; PROVOKED WIFE. By Sir John Vanbrugh. VOL. V.”

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• Honor is a public enemy, and conscience a domestic, and he that would secure his pleasure, must pay a tribute to one and go halves with t'other.

  William Congreve

  Honor, Enemy, Half

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• To converse with Scandal is to play at Losing Loadum, you must lose a good name to him, before you can win it for yourself.

  William Congreve

  Winning, Play, Names

  William Congreve (2014). “Love for Love”, p.21, A&C Black

  4 Copy quote

• There are come Critics so with Spleen diseased, They scarcely come inclining to be pleased: And sure he must have more than mortal Skill, Who please one against his Will.

  William Congreve

  Skills, Criticism, Spleen

  4 Copy quote

• I nauseate walking; 'tis a country diversion, I loathe the country.

  William Congreve

  Country, Diversion, Walking

  William. II Congreve William Wycherley (John Vanbrugh and Farquhar George), William. II Wycherley, William Congreve, George Farquhar, John Vanbrugh (1840). “Dramatic Works with Biographical and Critical Notices by Leigh Hunt. - London, Moxon 1840”, p.277

  4 Copy quote

• 'Tis well enough for a servant to be bred at an University. But the education is a little too pedantic for a gentleman.

  William Congreve

  College, Gentleman, Littles

  'Love for Love' (1695) act 5, sc. 3

  23 Copy quote

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