Robert Smith Surtees Quotes

• There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Horse, Secret, Riding

  'Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour' (1853) ch. 31

  60 Copy quote

• More people are flattered into virtue than bullied out of vice.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Integrity, Hypocrisy, People

  'The Analysis of the Hunting Field' (1846) ch. 1

  19 Copy quote

• Women never look so well as when one comes in wet and dirty from hunting.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Dirty, Hunting, Looks

  'Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour' (1853) ch. 21

  12 Copy quote

• The horse loves the hound, and I loves both.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Horse, Hounds

  Quoted in Colin Jarman The Guinness Dictionary of Sports Quotations (1990).

  9 Copy quote

• It ar'n't that I loves the fox less, but that I loves the 'ound more.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Foxes

  'Handley Cross' (1843) ch. 16

  9 Copy quote

• Some think that people come to a ball to do nothing but dance; whereas everyone knows that the real business of a ball is to look out for a wife, to look after a wife, or to look after someone else's wife.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Dance, Real, Thinking

  'Mr Facey Romford's Hounds' (1865) ch. 56

  13 Copy quote

• There is no secret closer than what passes between a man and his horse

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Horse, Men, Secret

  7 Copy quote

• There are three sorts of lawyers - able, unable and lamentable.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Funny, Three, Able

  Robert Smith Surtees (1860). “"Plain Or Ringlets?"”, p.141

  10 Copy quote

• No man rides harder than my Lord Scamperdale - always goes as if he had a spare neck in his pocket.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Men, Pockets, Necks

  Robert Smith Surtees (1860). “Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour”, p.197

  6 Copy quote

• Life would be very pleasant if it were not for its enjoyments.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Would Be, Enjoyment, Pleasant

  'Mr Facey Romford's Hounds' (1865) ch. 32.

  9 Copy quote

• Better be killed than frightened to death.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Frightened

  'Mr Facey Romford's Hounds' (1865) ch. 32

  10 Copy quote

• The only infallible rule we know is, that the man who is always talking about being a gentleman never is one.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Men, Talking, Gentleman

  'Ask Mamma' (1858) ch. 1

  9 Copy quote

• The supply of good fellows is by no means in excess of the demand. A man has only to hoist the flag of hospitality to insure a very considerable amount of custom.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Mean, Men, Flags

  Robert Smith Surtees (1930). “The novels of R.S. Surtees”

  8 Copy quote

• It is an inwariable rule with the dealers to praise the bad points and let the good 'uns speak for themselves.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Speak, Praise, Dealer

  Robert Smith Surtees, Author of Mr. Sponge's sporting tour (1854). “Handley Cross: Or, Mr. Jorrocks's Hunt”, p.140

  7 Copy quote

• The country has its charms-cheapness for one.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Country, Charm, Cheapness

  Robert Smith Surtees (1888). “Hillingdon Hall: Or, The Cockney Squire : a Tale of Country Life”

  8 Copy quote

• Three things I never lends - my 'oss, my wife, and my name.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Names, Wife, Three

  'Hillingdon Hall' (1845) ch. 33

  4 Copy quote

• No one knows how ungentlemanly he can look, until he has seen himself in a shocking bad hat.

  Robert Smith Surtees

  Looks, Hats, Know How

  Robert Smith Surtees, John Leech, Hablot Knight Browne (1865). “Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds”, p.38

  7 Copy quote

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