Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmithwas an Irish novelist, playwright and poet, who is best known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield, his pastoral poem The Deserted Village, and his plays The Good-Natur'd Manand She Stoops to Conquer. He is thought to have written the classic children's tale The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth10 November 1730
CountryIreland
hands play perfect
Popular glory is a perfect coquette; her lovers must toil, feel every inquietude, indulge every caprice, and perhaps at last be jilted into the bargain. True glory, on the other hand, resembles a woman of sense; her admirers must play no tricks. They feel no great anxiety, for they are sure in the end of being rewarded in proportion to their merit.
children men humanity
Were I to be angry at men being fools, I could here find ample room for declamation; but, alas! I have been a fool myself; and why should I be angry with them for being something so natural to every child of humanity?
joy decay fortune
Alas! the joys that fortune brings Are trifling, and decay, And those who prize the trifling things, More trifling still than they.
country character attention
It has been remarked that almost every character which has excited either attention or pity has owed part of its success to merit, and part to a happy concurrence of circumstances in its favor. Had Caesar or Cromwell exchanged countries, the one might have been a sergeant and the other an exciseman.
littles favors sometimes
We sometimes had those little rubs which Providence sends to enhance the value of its favors.
names society noblemen
I have known a German Prince with more titles than subjects, and a Spanish nobleman with more names than shirts.
sarcastic arguing
I always get the better when I argue alone.
men mind reason
Logicians have but ill defined As rational the human mind; Reason, they say, belongs to man, But let them prove it if they can.
hope
Hope, like the gleaming taper
virtue guarded scarce
That virtue which requires to be ever guarded is scarce worth the sentinel.
want argument protest
I find you want me to furnish you with argument and intellects too. No, sir, these, I protest you, are too hard for me.
serious arguing argument
In arguing one should meet serious pleading with humor, and humor with serious pleading.
business decay proud
Trade's proud empire hastes to swift decay.
men criticism blame
Blame where you must, be candid where you can, And be each critic the Good-natured Man.