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
best company conversation left reasonably rules unsaid wish
One of the best rules in conversation is, never to say a thing which any of the company can reasonably wish had been left unsaid
weight reason idle
An idle reason lessens the weight of the good ones you gave before.
firsts reason persons
You cannot reason a person out of a position he did not reason himself into in the first place.
light reason riders
Reason is a very light rider, and easily shook off.
reason persons
You cannot reason a person out of something they were not reasoned into.
passion reason
God hath intended our passions to prevail over reason.
leave passions stronger though weaker
Our passions are like convulsion fits, which, though they make us stronger for the time, leave us the weaker ever after
applied best interest laws whose
Laws are best explained, interpreted and applied by those whose interest and abilities lie in perverting, confounding and eluding them
blades country deserves ears essential grass grew grow race service together whoever
Whoever makes two ears of corn, or two blades of grass to grow where only one grew before, deserves better of mankind, and does more essential service to his country than the whole race of politicians put together
belly bones rest
When the belly is full, the bones would be at rest
afterwards begun continues less treatment
When the world has once begun to use us ill, it afterwards continues the same treatment with less scruple or ceremony, as men do to a whore
coffee philosophical espresso
Coffee makes us severe, and grave and philosophical.
block men want
Small causes are sufficient to make a man uneasy, when great ones are not in the way: for want of a block he will stumble at a straw.
abroad bred company returned traveler worst
Usually speaking, the worst bred person in company is a young traveler just returned from abroad