If a man will observe as he walks the streets, I believe he will find the merriest countenances in mourning coaches. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Very few men, properly speaking, live at present, but are providing to live another time. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Common fluency of speech in many men and most women is owing to a scarcity of matter. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Hail, follow, well met, All dirty and wet: Find out, if you can, Who's master, who's man. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
So endless and exorbitant are the desires of men that they will grasp at all, and can form no scheme of perfect… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Old men and comets have been reverenced for the same reason: their long beards, and pretences to foretell events. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
The preaching of divines helps to preserve well-inclined men in the course of virtue, but seldom or ever reclaims the vicious. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
There never appear more than five or six men of genius in an age, but if they were united the world could… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
When any one person or body of men seize into their hands the power in the last resort, there is properly no… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
One principal object of good-breeding is to suit our behaviour to the three several degrees of men, our superiors, our equals, and… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Falsehood flies, and truth comes limping after it, so that when men come to be undeceived, it is too late; the jest… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Brisk talkers are usually slow thinkers. There is, indeed, no wild beast more to be dreaded than a communicative man having nothing… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
How often do we contradict the right rules of reason in the whole course of our lives! Reason itself is true and… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
I used to wonder how a man of birth and spirit could endure to be wholly insignificant and obscure in a foreign… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Neither is it safe to count upon the weakness of any man's understanding, who is thoroughly possessed of the spirit of revenge… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
A traveler's chief aim should be to make men wiser and better, and to improve their minds by the bad-as well as… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Brutes find out where their talents lie; A bear will not attempt to fly, A foundered horse will oft debate Before he… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Your notions of friendship are new to me; I believe every man is born with his quantum, and he cannot give to… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Ingratitude is amongst them a capital crime, as we read it to have been in some other countries: for they reason thus;… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
No man of honor, as the word is usually understood, did ever pretend that his honor obliged him to be chaste or… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
For in that universal call, Few bankers will to heaven be mounters; They'll cry, "Ye shops, upon us fall! Conceal and cover… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Few are qualified to shine in company, but it is in most men's power to be agreeable. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Whoever makes the fewest persons uneasy, is the best bred man in company. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
When a man of genius appears in the world, it is immediately recognized by the fact that all the blockheads join forces… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
A poor spirit is poorer than a poor purse. A very few pounds a year would ease a man of the scandal… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Some men, under the notion of weeding out prejudice, eradicate virtue, honesty and religion. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Ale is meat, drink and cloth; it will make a cat speak and a wise man dumb. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Reasoning will never make a man correct an ill opinion, which by reasoning he never acquired — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Some men, under the notion of weeding out prejudices, eradicate virtue, honesty, and religion — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Small causes are sufficient to make a man uneasy, when great ones are not in the way: for want of a block… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Nothing more unqualified the man to act with prudence than a misfortune that is attended with shame and guilt. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
It is an uncontrolled truth, that no man ever made an ill figure who understood his own talents, nor a good one… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
It is the first rule in oratory that a man must appear such as he would persuade others to be: and that… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
This made me reflect, how vain an attempt it is for a man to endeavor to do himself honor among those who… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Rebukes are easy from our betters, From men of quality and letters; But when low dunces will affront, What man alive can… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
In like manner, the disbelief of a Divine Providence renders a man uncapable of holding any public station; for, since kings avow… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
I said there was a society of men among us, bred up from their youth in the art of proving by words… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share Image
Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
“He said, he knew no reason why those who entertain opinions prejudicial to the public should be obliged to change, or should not be… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
The best Maxim I know in this life is, to drink your Coffee when you can, and when you cannot, to be easy without… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
A forward critic often dupes us With sham quotations peri hupsos, And if we have not read Longinus, Will magisterially outshine us. Then, lest… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
Ale is meat, drink and cloth; it will make a cat speak and a wise man dumb. — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
All fits of pleasure are balanced by an equal degree of pain or languor; it is like spending this year part of the next… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
“When a great genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
I have ever hated all nations, professions, and communities, and all my love is toward individuals: for instance, I hate the tribe of lawyers,… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
So endless and exorbitant are the desires of men that they will grasp at all, and can form no scheme of perfect happiness with… — Jonathan Swift Copy Share
