William Congreve
William Congreve
William Congrevewas an English playwright and poet...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPlaywright
Date of Birth24 January 1670
born came upstairs
I came upstairs into the world; for I was born in a cellar.
affecting artful careless seem
Careless she is with artful care, / Affecting to seem unaffected.
great married strange
Let us be very strange and well-bred: Let us be as strange as if we had been married a great while; and as well-bred as if we were not married at all.
asked question
She is chaste who was never asked the question
sir winning
Well, Sir Joseph, you have such a winning way with you.
branch fellows flood wash
A branch of one of your antediluvian families, fellows that the flood could not wash away.
boxes cheering ears fill happier hearts lives love sealed speak tenderness thrilled until words
Do not keep the alabaster boxes of your love and tenderness sealed up until your friends are dead. Fill their lives with sweetness, speak cheering words while their ears can hear, and while their hearts can be thrilled and made happier by them.
becomes best picture sort tenderness
Yes, but tenderness becomes me best - a sort of dyingness - you see that picture has a sort of a - ha, Foible? A swimmingness in the eyes.
against critics mortal please scarcely sure
There are come Critics so with Spleen diseased,They scarcely come inclining to be pleased:And sure he must have more than mortal Skill,Who please one against his Will.
ill impudence malice manners pass
Where modesty's ill manners, 'tis but fitThat impudence and malice pass for wit.
Would she could make of me a saint,Or I of her a sinner.
free hopes sinner win
Wou'd I were free from this restraint, Or else had hopes to win her; Wou'd she cou'd make me a saint, Or I of her a sinner
admire beauty cannot true vulgar
There is in true beauty something which vulgar cannot admire
english-poet
A little disdain is not amiss; a little scorn is alluring.