Richard Brinsley Sheridan Quotes - Page 5

Easy writing's curst hard reading.

A practitioner in panegyric, or, to speak more plainly, a professor of the art of puffing.

If I reprehend anything in this world, it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs!

When delicate and feeling souls are separated, there is not a feature in the sky, not a movement of the elements, not an aspiration of the breeze, but hints some cause for a lover's apprehension.

An apothecary should never be out of spirits.

Egad, I think the interpreter is the hardest to be understood of the two!

Here is the whole set! a character dead at every word.

As there are three of us come on purpose for the game, you won't be so cantankerous as to spoil the party by sitting out.

I open with a clock striking, to beget an awful attention in the audience - it also marks the time, which is four o clock in the morning, and saves a description of the rising sun, and a great deal about gilding the eastern hemisphere.

There are a set of malicious, prating, prudent gossips, both male and female, who murder characters to kill time; and will rob a young fellow of his good name before he has years to know the value of it.

A tale of scandal is as fatal to the credit of a prudent lady as a fever is generally to those of the strongest constitutions. But there is a sort of puny, sickly reputation, that is always ailing, yet will wither the robuster characters of a hundred prudes.

Give them a corrupt House of Lords, give them a venal House of Commons, give they a tyrannical Prince, give them a truckling court, and let me have but an unfettered press. I will defy them to encroach a hair's breadth upon the liberties of England.

I ne'er could any luster see in eyes that would not look on me.

Soft pity never leaves the gentle breast where love has been received a welcome guest.

Whena scandalousstory isbelieved againstone, thereis certainly no comfort like the conscience of having deserved it.

Nay, but Jack, such eyes! such eyes! so innocently wild! so bashfully irresolute! Not a glance but speaks and kindles some thought of love! Then, Jack, her cheeks! her cheeks, Jack! so deeply blushing at the insinuations of her tell-tale eyes! Then, Jack, her lips! O, Jack, lips smiling at their own discretion! and, if not smiling, more sweetly pouting - more lovely in sullenness! Then, Jack, her neck! O, Jack, Jack!

Ay, ay, the best terms will grow obsolete: damns have had their day.

Had I a heart for falsehood framed, I ne'er could injure you.

Steal! to be sure they may; and, egad, serve your best thoughts as gypsies do stolen children,-disfigure them to make 'em pass for their own.

Madam, a circulating library in a town is as an evergreen tree of diabolical knowledge; it blossoms through the year. And depend on it that they who are so fond of handling the leaves, will long for the fruit at last.