Oliver Goldsmith Quotes - Page 13

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• Titles and mottoes to books are like escutcheons and dignities in the hands of a king. The wise sometimes condescend to accept of them; but none but a fool would imagine them of any real importance. We ought to depend upon intrinsic merit, and not the slender helps of the title.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Wise, Kings, Real

  Oliver Goldsmith (1820). “Essays and The Bee”

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• Teach erring man to spurn the rage of gain.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Teaching, Men, Gains

  Oliver Goldsmith (1825). “The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith: Miscellaneous poems. The good-natured man. She stoops to conquer; or, the Mistakes of a night. An oratorio. Prefaces. [Criticisms”, p.67

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• The wretch condemn'd with life to part,
  Still, still on hope relies;
  And every pang that rends the heart
  Bids expectation rise.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Hope, Heart, Expectations

  Oliver Goldsmith (1837). “The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith, M. B.: Including a Variety of Pieces”, p.120

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• Alas! the joys that fortune brings
  Are trifling, and decay,
  And those who prize the trifling things,
  More trifling still than they.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Joy, Decay, Fortune

  Oliver Goldsmith (1841). “Goldsmith's miscellaneous works”, p.5

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• If we look round the world, there seem to be not above six distinct varieties in the human species, each of which is strongly marked, and speaks the kind seldom to have mixed with any other. But there is nothing in the shape, nothing in the faculties, that shows their coming from different originals; and the varieties of climate, of nourishment, and custom, are sufficient to produce every change.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Science, Looks, World

  Oliver Goldsmith (1823). “A history of the earth, and animated nature”, p.2

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• Like the tiger, that seldom desists from pursuing man after having once preyed upon human flesh, the reader who has once gratified his appetite with calumny makes ever after the most agreeable feast upon murdered reputations!

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Men, Flesh, Reputation

  Oliver Goldsmith (1871). “The works of Oliver Goldsmith: Vicar of Wakefield, select poems and comedies, with intr., notes and a life by J.F. Waller”, p.211

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• All the bloomy flush of life is fled.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Life, Life Is

  Oliver Goldsmith (1858). “Goldsmith's Deserted village, with remarks on the analysis of sentences, exercises in parsing, notes ... and a life of the poet ... By Walter M'Leod”, p.47

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• Whenever you see a gaming table be sure to know fortune is not there. Rather she is always in the company of industry.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Gambling, Tables, Fortune

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• And as a bird each fond endearment tries To tempt its new-fledg'd offspring to the skies, He tried each art, reprov'd each dull delay, Allur'd to brighter worlds, and led the way.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Art, Sky, Bird

  Oliver Goldsmith (1858). “Goldsmith's Deserted village, with remarks on the analysis of sentences, exercises in parsing, notes ... and a life of the poet ... By Walter M'Leod”, p.64

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• A book may be very amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Book, Errors, Dull

  Oliver Goldsmith (1806). “The Vicar of Wakefield”, p.13

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• Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Sweet, Auburn, Village

  'The Deserted Village' (1770) l. 1

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• As writers become more numerous, it is natural for readers to become more indolent; whence must necessarily arise a desire of attaining knowledge with the greatest possible ease.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Book, Reading, Desire

  Oliver Goldsmith, David Masson (1869). “The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith”, p.391

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• Good people all, with one accord, Lament for Madam Blaize, Who never wanted a good word From those who spoke her praise.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  People, Praise, Spokes

  Oliver Goldsmith (1850). “Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield, Citizen of the world, Poetical works, etc”, p.111

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• So the loud torrent, and the whirlwind's roar, But bind him to his native mountains more.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Country, Mountain, Loud

  Oliver Goldsmith (1851). “The Traveller”, p.7

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• To me more dear, congenial to my heart, One native charm, than all the gloss of art.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Art, Simplicity, Charm

  Oliver Goldsmith, Walter MACLEOD (of the Royal Military Asylum, Chelsea.) (1858). “Goldsmith's Deserted village, with remarks on the analysis of sentences, exercises in parsing, notes ... and a life of the poet ... By Walter M'Leod”, p.71

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• And e'en while fashion's brightest arts decoy, The heart distrusting asks if this be joy.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Fashion, Art, Joy

  1770 The Deserted Village, l.263-4.

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• When we take a slight survey of the surface of our globe a thousand objects offer themselves which, though long known, yet still demand our curiosity.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Long, Curiosity, Demand

  Oliver Goldsmith (1825). “A History of the Earth: And Animated Nature”, p.5

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• Is it that Nature, attentive to the preservation of mankind, increases our wishes to live, while she lessens our enjoyments, and as she robs the senses of every pleasure, equips imag-ination in the spoil?

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Wish, Age, Pleasure

  Oliver Goldsmith (1816). “The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B.: With Memoirs of His Life and Writings : Enriched with an Elegant Portrait of the Author”, p.258

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• Paltry affectation, strained allusions, and disgusting finery are easily attained by those who choose to wear them; they are but too frequently the badges of ignorance or of stupidity, whenever it would endeavor to please.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Ignorance, Stupidity, Endeavor

  Oliver Goldsmith (1819). “Letters From A Citizen Of The World: To His Friends In The East”, p.135

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• Her modest looks the cottage might adorn, Sweet as the primrose peeps beneath the thorn.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Sweet, Looks, Cottages

  Oliver Goldsmith (1858). “Goldsmith's Deserted village, with notes and a life of the poet by W. M'Leod. (Oxf. exam. scheme).”, p.76

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• There is one way by which a strolling player may be ever secure of success; that is, in our theatrical way of expressing it, to make a great deal of the character. To speak and act as in common life is not playing, nor is it what people come to see; natural speaking, like sweet wine, runs glibly over the palate and scarcely leaves any taste behind it; but being high in a part resembles vinegar, which grates upon the taste, and one feels it while he is drinking.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Running, Sweet, Drinking

  Oliver Goldsmith (1854). “The Works of Oliver Goldsmith: The bee. Essays. Unacknowledged essays. Prefaces, introductions, etc”, p.233

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• Fear guides more to their duty than gratitude; for one man who is virtuous from the love of virtue, from the obligation he thinks he lies under to the Giver of all, there are ten thousand who are good only from their apprehension of punishment.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Gratitude, Lying, Men

  Oliver Goldsmith (1849). “The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith: With an Account of His Life and Writings : Stereotyped from the Paris Edition : Complete in One Volume”, p.258

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• Even children follow'd with endearing wile, And pluck'd his gown, to share the good man's smile.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Children, Men, Good Man

  Oliver Goldsmith (1806). “The Poetical Works”, p.31

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• Men may be very learned, and yet very miserable; it is easy to be a deep geometrician, or a sublime astronomer, but very difficult to be a good man. I esteem, therefore, the traveller who instructs the heart, but despise him who only indulges the imagination. A man who leaves home to mend himself and others, is a philosopher; but he who goes from country to country, guided by the blind impulse of curiosity, is only a vagabond.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Country, Home, Heart

  Oliver Goldsmith (1854). “The works of Oliver Goldsmith. 2: Enquiry into the present state of polite learning; The citizen of the world”, p.106

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• All his faults are such that one loves him still the better for them.

  Oliver Goldsmith

  Love, Faults, One Love

  'The Good-Natured Man' (1768) act 1

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