Jonathan Swift Quotes - Page 14

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• Desponding Phyllis was endu'd
  With ev'ry Talent of a Prude,
  She trembled when a Man drew near;
  Salute her, and she turn'd her Ear:
  If o'er against her you were plac'd
  She durst not look above your Waist

  Jonathan Swift

  Men, Prudes, Looks

  Jonathan Swift, John Arbuthnot, Alexander Pope, John Gay (1742). “Miscellanies. In Four Volumes”, p.183

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• Apollo was held the god of physic and sender of disease. Both were originally the same trade, and still continue.

  Jonathan Swift

  Apollo, Disease, Trade

  Jonathan Swift, Thomas Roscoe (1859). “The works of Jonathan Swift, D.D.: with copious notes and additions and a memoir of the author”, p.615

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• I can discover no political evil in suffering bullies, sharpers, and rakes, to rid the world of each other by a method of their own; where the law hath not been able to find an expedient.

  Jonathan Swift

  Law, Evil, Bully

  Jonathan Swift (1772). “The Works of the Reverend Dr. Jonathan Swift ...”

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• Whatever the poets pretend, it is plain they give immortality to none but themselves; it is Homer and Virgil we reverence and admire, not Achilles or Aeneas. With historians it is quite the contrary; our thoughts are taken up with the actions, persons, and events we read, and we little regard the authors.

  Jonathan Swift

  Taken, Aeneas, Giving

  Jonathan Swift (2010). “The Battle of the Books: And Other Works, Including 'A Modest Proposal'”, p.187, The Floating Press

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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.

  Jonathan Swift

  Men, Genius, World

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• Most sorts of diversion in men, children and other animals, are in imitation of fighting.

  Jonathan Swift

  Children, Fighting, Animal

  Jonathan Swift, Thomas Roscoe (1859). “The works of Jonathan Swift, D.D.: with copious notes and additions and a memoir of the author”, p.615

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• If a man makes me keep my distance, the comfort is, he keeps his at the same time.

  Jonathan Swift

  Distance, Men, Comfort

  Jonathan Swift (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Jonathan Swift (Illustrated)”, p.899, Delphi Classics

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• Usually speaking, the worst-bred person in company is a young traveller just returned from abroad.

  Jonathan Swift

  Young, Worst, Company

  Jonathan Swift, Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols (1801). “The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, D.D., Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin”, p.221

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• Brutes find out where their talents lie; a bear will not attempt to fly.

  Jonathan Swift

  Lying, Bears, Talent

  Jonathan Swift, Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols (1801). “Poems, Polite convesation, etc”, p.166

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• When dunces are satiric, I take it for a panegyric.

  Jonathan Swift

  Satire, Dunces

  Jonathan Swift, John Mitford (1854). “The Poetical Works of Jonathan Swift: With a Life”, p.168

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• Under the rose, since here are none but friends, To own the truth we have some private ends.

  Jonathan Swift

  Rose, Secrecy, Ends

  Jonathan Swift, Thomas Sheridan (1812). “The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift...”, p.237

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• Surely mortal man is a broomstick!

  Jonathan Swift

  Men, Broomsticks, Mortals

  1710 A Meditation upon a Broomstick.

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• The more careless, the more modish.

  Jonathan Swift

  Careless

  1738 Polite Conversation, dialogue 1.

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• 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.

  Jonathan Swift

  Song, Strong, Fall

  Jonathan Swift (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Jonathan Swift (Illustrated)”, p.3013, Delphi Classics

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• Unjustly poets we asperse: Truth shines the brighter clad in verse, And all the fictions they pursue Do but insinuate what is true.

  Jonathan Swift

  Shining, Fiction, Poet

  Jonathan Swift (1860). “The Works of Jonathan Swift ...: With Copious Notes and Additions, and a Memoir of the Author”, p.430

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• It is with wits as with razors, which are never so apt to cut those they are employed on as when they have lost their edge.

  Jonathan Swift

  Cutting, Razors, Lost

  Jonathan Swift (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Jonathan Swift (Illustrated)”, p.27, Delphi Classics

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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.

  Jonathan Swift

  Book, Omission, Authorship

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• In all assemblies, though you wedge them ever so close, we may observe this peculiar property, that over their heads there is room enough; but how to reach it is the difficult point. To this end the philosopher's way in all ages has been by erecting certain edifices in the air.

  Jonathan Swift

  Air, Age, May

  Jonathan Swift (2004). “A Modest Proposal and Other Prose”, p.61, Barnes & Noble Publishing

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• Arbitrary power is but the first natural step from anarchy, or the savage life.

  Jonathan Swift

  Savages, Arbitrary, Anarchy

  Jonathan Swift (1803). “The Works”, p.316

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• There seems to be no part of knowledge in fewer hands than that of discerning when to have done.

  Jonathan Swift

  Hands, Done, Fewer

  Jonathan Swift, Paul Anton Fedor Constantin POSSART (1831). “A Tale of a Tub and the Battle of the Books ... Mit Anmerkungen herausgegeben von P. A. Fedor Possart”, p.114

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• The affectation of some late authors to introduce and multiply cant words is the most ruinous corruption in any language.

  Jonathan Swift

  Language, Corruption, Introducing

  Jonathan Swift, John Hawkesworth (1754). “The Works of Jonathan Swift: Accurately Revised in Twelve Volumes, Adorned with Copper-plates. With Some Account of the Author's Life and Notes, Historical and Explanatory”, p.325

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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.

  Jonathan Swift

  Taken, Age, Next

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• This wine should be eaten, it is too good to be drunk.

  Jonathan Swift

  Wine, Drunk, Should

  Jonathan Swift (1861). “The Works of Jonathan Swift ...: With Copious Notes and Additions, and a Memoir of the Author”, p.75

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• Old sciences are unraveled like old stockings, by beginning at the foot.

  Jonathan Swift

  Science, Oxen, Feet

  Jonathan Swift (1765). “The Works of Dr. Jonathan Swift ...: Accurately Revised ... Adorned with Copper-plates; with Some Account of the Author's Life, and Notes Historical and Explanatory”, p.288

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• Polite Conversation Why, everyone one as they like; as the good woman said when she kissed her cow.

  Jonathan Swift

  Father, Good Woman, Cows

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