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
thinking self-improvement done
But you think that it is time for me to have done with the world, and so I would if I could get into a better before I was called into the best, and not die here in a rage, like a poisoned rat in a hole.
lying done belief
It often happens that, if a lie be believed only for an hour, it has done its work, and there is no further occasion for it.
character support done
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.
hands done discerning
There seems to be no part of knowledge in fewer hands than that of discerning when to have done.
against appears dunces genius true
When a true genius appears in this world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
art seeing vision
Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
age-and-aging god grow men merely sacrifice virtuous
When men grow virtuous in their old age, they are merely making a sacrifice to God of the Devil's leavings
change comrades stories
Faith! He must make his stories shorter or change his comrades once a quarter.
expressly heaven ignorant
What they do in heaven we are ignorant of; what they do not we are told expressly
child daughter pride war
War is the child of Pride, and Pride the daughter of Riches.
butter looks melt mouth
She looks as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth
animals children diversion fighting imitation sorts
Most sorts of diversion in men, children and other animals, are an imitation of fighting
contented folly laughed men
Men are contented to be laughed at for their wit, but not for their folly