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Jonathan Swift Quotes - Page 10

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When men grow virtuous in their old age, they only make a sacrifice to God of the devil's leavings.

When men grow virtuous in their old age, they only make a sacrifice to God of the devil's leavings.

Jonathan Swift
Sacrifice, Men, Leaving
Jonathan Swift, Thomas Sheridan (1813). “The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift...”, p.365

In all distresses of our friends We first consult our private ends; While Nature, kindly bent to ease us, Points out some circumstance to please us.

Jonathan Swift
Adversity, Ease, Firsts
'Verses on the Death of Dr Swift' (1731) l. 7

The first springs of great events, like those of great rivers, are often mean and little.

Jonathan Swift
Spring, Mean, Rivers
Jonathan Swift, John Hawkesworth (1755). “The Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin: Accurately Revised in Six Volumes, Adorned with Copper-plates : with Some Account of the Author's Life and Notes Historical and Explanatory”, p.202

For the rest, whatever we have got has been by infinite labor, and search, and ranging through every corner of nature; the difference is that instead of dirt and poison, we have rather chosen to fill our hives with honey and wax, thus furnishing mankind with the two noblest of things, which are sweetness and light.

Jonathan Swift
Light, Two, Differences
The Battle of the Books (1704) See Matthew Arnold 27

It is in disputes as in armies, where the weaker side sets up false lights, and makes a great noise, to make the enemy believe them more numerous and strong than they really are.

Jonathan Swift
Strong, Believe, Army
Jonathan Swift (1857). “The works of Dean Swift: comprising A tale of a tub, The battle of the books, with thoughts and essays on various subjects, together with The Dean's advice to a young lady on her marriage”, p.250

Some dire misfortune to portend, no enemy can match a friend.

Jonathan Swift
Friends, Enemy, Misfortunes
Jonathan Swift, “Verses On The Death Of Dr. Swift, D.S.P.D.”

The sciences are found, like Hercules's oxen, by tracing them backward; and old sciences are unravelled like old stockings, by beginning at the foot.

Jonathan Swift
Science, Oxen, Feet
Jonathan Swift (1803). “The Works”, p.388

No preacher is listened to but time, which gives us the same train and turn of thought that elder people have in vain tried to put into our heads before.

Jonathan Swift
Time, People, Giving
Jonathan Swift, John Hawkesworth (1755). “The Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin: Accurately Revised in Six Volumes, Adorned with Copper-plates : with Some Account of the Author's Life and Notes Historical and Explanatory”, p.222

God hath intended our passions to prevail over reason.

Jonathan Swift
Passion, Reason
Thoughts on Religion (1765)

Neither are any wars so furious and bloody, or of so long continuance as those occasioned by difference in opinion, especially if it be in things indifferent.

Jonathan Swift
War, Differences, Long
Jonathan Swift (2013). “The Very Best of Jonathan Swift In Plain and Simple English (Translated)”, p.395, BookCaps Study Guides

... the atheists, libertines, despisers of religion ... that is to say all those who usually pass under the name of Free-thinkers.

Jonathan Swift
Atheist, Names, Atheism
Jonathan Swift, John Hawkesworth (1755). “The Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin: Accurately Revised in Six Volumes, Adorned with Copper-plates : with Some Account of the Author's Life and Notes Historical and Explanatory”, p.56

Ah, a German and a genius ! A prodigy, admit him !

Jonathan Swift
Genius, Prodigies, Last Words
Jonathan Swift (1998). “The Sayings of Jonathan Swift”, p.44, Gerald Duckworth & Co

I cannot but conclude that the Bulk of your Natives, to be the most pernicious Race of little odious Vermin that Nature ever suffered to crawl upon the Surface of the Earth.

Jonathan Swift
Race, Gulliver, Earth
Gulliver's Travels "A Voyage to Brobdingnag" ch. 6 (1726)

It is the folly of too many to mistake the echo of a London coffee-house for the voice of the kingdom.

Jonathan Swift
Mistake, Coffee, Echoes
Jonathan Swift, Sir Walter Scott (1824). “-5. Tracts, historical and political, during the reign of Queen Anne”, p.365

So, naturalists observe, a flea; Hath smaller fleas that on him prey; And these have smaller fleas to bite 'em, And so proceed ad infinitum.

Jonathan Swift
Fleas, Ems, Mathematics
On Poetry" l. 337 (1733)

A stander-by may sometimes, perhaps, see more of the game than he that plays it.

Jonathan Swift
Games, Play, May
Jonathan Swift, Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols (1801). “Miscellaneous pieces”, p.4

Orators inflame the people, whose anger is really but a short fit of madness.

Jonathan Swift
People, Madness, Fit
Jonathan Swift, Deane Swift, Thomas Birch, Thomas Wilkes, Thomas Hawkesworth (1768). “The Works of the Reverend Dr. Jonathan Swift: Miscellanies in prose”, p.250

The tucked-up sempstress walks with hasty strides, While streams run down her oil'd umbrella's sides.

Jonathan Swift
Running, Oil, Sides
Jonathan Swift, “A Description Of A City Shower”

Principally I hate and detest that animal called man; although I heartily love John, Peter, Thomas, and so forth.

Jonathan Swift
Hate, Animal, Men
Letter to Alexander Pope, 29 Sept. 1725

Nor do they trust their tongue alone, but speak a language of their own; can read a nod, a shrug, a look, far better than a printed book; convey a libel in a frown, and wink a reputation down.

Jonathan Swift
Book, Looks, Scandal
'The Journal of a Modern Lady' (1729) l. 188

Everybody wants to live forever, but nobody wants to grow old.

Jonathan Swift
Forever, Age, Want

I cannot imagine why we should be at the expense to furnish wit for succeeding ages, when the former have made no sort of provision for ours.

Jonathan Swift
Age, Succeed, Imagine
Jonathan Swift, Thomas Roscoe (1859). “The works of Jonathan Swift, D.D.: with copious notes and additions and a memoir of the author”, p.273

The axe of intemperance has lopped off his green boughs and left him a withered trunk.

Jonathan Swift
Green, Trunks, Intemperance
Jonathan Swift (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Jonathan Swift (Illustrated)”, p.874, Delphi Classics

The motives of the best actions will not bear too strict an inquiry. It is allowed that the cause of most actions, good or bad, may be resolved into the love of ourselves; but the self-love of some men inclines them to please others, and the self-love of others is wholly employed in pleasing themselves. This makes the great distinction between virtue and vice.

Jonathan Swift
Men, Self, May
Jonathan Swift, Thomas Roscoe (1843). “The Works of Jonathan Swift ...: Containing Interesting and Valuable Papers, Not Hitherto Published ... With Memoir of the Author”, p.305

Perpetual aiming at wit is a very bad part of conversation. It is done to support a character: it generally fails; it is a sort of insult on the company, and a restraint upon the speaker.

Jonathan Swift
Character, Support, Done

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