Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swiftwas an Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer, poet and cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth30 November 1667
CountryIreland
philosophy book writing
The most ignorant person, at a reasonable charge, and with a little bodily labour, might write books in philosophy, poetry, politics, laws, mathematics, and theology, without the least assistance from genius or study.
hands gambling complaining
I must complain the cards are ill shuffled till I have a good hand.
men too-late limping
Falsehood flies, and truth comes limping after it, so that when men come to be undeceived, it is too late; the jest is over, and the tale hath had its effect.
spring mean rivers
The first springs of great events, like those of great rivers, are often mean and little.
duty intuitive
We have an intuitive sense of our duty.
genius prodigies last-words
Ah, a German and a genius ! A prodigy, admit him !
success art men
I said there was a society of men among us, bred up from their youth in the art of proving by words multiplied for the purpose, that white is black, and black is white, according as they are paid. To this society all the rest of the people are as slaves.
dog love-is dirt
111 company is like a dog, who dirts those most whom he loves best.
father good-woman cows
Polite Conversation Why, everyone one as they like; as the good woman said when she kissed her cow.
conceited well-said wells
Faith, that's as well said as if I had said it myself.
wine drunk should
This wine should be eaten, it is too good to be drunk.
atheist names atheism
... the atheists, libertines, despisers of religion ... that is to say all those who usually pass under the name of Free-thinkers.
taken heaven atheism
Religion supposed Heaven and Hell, the word of God, and sacraments, and twenty other circumstances which, taken seriously, are a wonderful check to wit and humour.
class firsts titles
It is a maxim, that those, to whom everybody allows the second place, have an undoubted title to the first.