---
title: "1 Question Novel Quotes By Sydney Smith"
description: "1 Question Novel quotes by Sydney Smith. Plus more from Sydney Smith and more Question Novel sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sydney-smith-6523_books_the-main-question-to-a-novel-is-did-it-a_1341974.png"
---

> [The main question to a novel is -- did it amuse? were you surprised at dinner coming so soon? did you mistake eleven for ten? were you too late to dress? and did you sit up beyond the usual hour?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/the-main-question-to-a-novel-is-did-it-amuse-were-you-surprised-at/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/sydney-smith-6523_books_the-main-question-to-a-novel-is-did-it-a_1341974.png)

## More by Sydney Smith

> [Live always in the best company when you read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/live-always-in-the-best-company-when-you-read/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [Scotland: That garret of the earth - that knuckle-end of England - that land of Calvin, oatcakes, and sulfur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/scotland-that-garret-of-the-earth-that-knuckle-end-of-england-that/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [My living in Yorkshire was so far out of the way, that it was eleven miles away from a lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/my-living-in-yorkshire-was-so-far-out-of-the-way-that-it-was-eleven/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/poverty-is-no-disgrace-to-a-man-but-it-is-confoundedly-inconvenient/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [A comfortable house is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-comfortable-house-is-a-great-source-of-happiness-it-ranks/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [How can a bishop marry? How can he flirt? The most he can say is "I will see you in the vestry after service."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/how-can-a-bishop-marry-how-can-he-flirt-the-most-he-can-say-is-i-will/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/it-is-the-greatest-of-all-mistakes-to-do-nothing-because-you-can-only/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [Silence is a girl's loudest shout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/silence-is-a-girl-s-loudest-shout/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-great-deal-of-talent-is-lost-to-the-world-for-want-of-a-little/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [A man who wishes to make his way in life could do no better than go through the world with a boiling tea-kettle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-man-who-wishes-to-make-his-way-in-life-could-do-no-better-than-go/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [ \[T\]he 47th proposition in Euclid might now be voted down with as much ease as any proposition in politics; and therefore if Lord Hawkesbury… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/t-he-47th-proposition-in-euclid-might-now-be-voted-down-with-as-much/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [Be what nature intended you for, and you will succeed; be anything else and you will be ten thousand times worse than nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/be-what-nature-intended-you-for-and-you-will-succeed-be-anything-else/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [To business that we love we rise bedtime, and go to't with delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/to-business-that-we-love-we-rise-bedtime-and-go-to-t-with-delight/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [The schoolboy whips his taxed top; the beardless youth manages his taxed horse with a taxed bridle on a taxed road; and the dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/the-schoolboy-whips-his-taxed-top-the-beardless-youth-manages-his/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

> [I always fear that creation will expire before teatime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/i-always-fear-that-creation-will-expire-before-teatime/)

[Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/)

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