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
science dozen biographies
If the world had but a dozen Arbuthnots I would burn my [Gulliver's] Travels.
wise science astrology
All Pretences of foretelling by Astrology, are Deceits; for this manifest Reason, because the Wise and Learned, who can only judge whether there be any Truth in this Science, do all unanimously agree to laugh at and despise it; and none but the poor ignorant Vulgar give it any Credit.
science feet oxen
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.
science feet oxen
Old sciences are unraveled like old stockings, by beginning at the foot.
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
abound conceive hard others riches
Nothing is so hard for those who abound in riches to conceive how others can be in want.
bottle madness places sold
Taverns are places where madness is sold by the bottle