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Jonathan Swift Quotes

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Jonathan Swift, born on November 30, 1667, and died on October 19, 1745, was an Irish writer, satirist, and politician, renowned for his satirical works.

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All Men Ifs Literature Age World Should May Reason Knows Wells Law Wise Wit Book Giving Ill Persons Two Company Has Beens

Famous Jonathan Swift Quotes

“A Child will make two Dishes at an Entertainment for Friends; and when the Family dines alone, the fore or hind Quarter will makea reasonable Dish; and seasoned with a little Pepper or Salt, will be very good Boiled on the fourth Day, especially in Winter.”

Children Littles Two Winter Very Good Entertainment Reasonable Quarters Salt Fourth Dishes Peppers Dine

Author:Jonathan Swift

“A chuck under the chin is worth two kisses.”

Two Kissing Certainty Chins Chuck

Book:The works of Jonathan Swift, D.D.: with copious notes and additions and a memoir of the author

Source: The works of Jonathan Swift, D.D.: with copious notes and additions and a memoir of the author

“Every age might perhaps produce one or two geniuses, if they were not sunk under the censure and obloquy of plodding, servile, imitating pedants.”

Ifs Two Might Age Produce Genius Censure Imitating Pedants

Book:Works

Source: Works

“Imaginary evils soon become real ones by indulging our reflections on them; as he who in a melancholy fancy sees something like a face on the wall or the wainscot can, by two or three touches with a lead pencil, make it look visible, and agreeing with what he fancied.”

Looks Two Real Faces Three Evil Wall Reflection Fancy Visible Melancholy Imaginary Pencils Real Ones

Book:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, D.D. ...: With Notes, Historical and Critical

Source: The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, D.D. ...: With Notes, Historical and Critical

“Story-telling is subject to two unavoidable defects,--frequent repetition and being soon exhausted; so that, whoever values this gift in himself, has need of a good memory, and ought frequently to shift his company.”

Needs Two Stories Values Memories Company Subjects Ought Exhausted Repetition Defects Good Memories

Author:Jonathan Swift

“The two noblest of things, which are sweetness and light.”

Two Light Culture Sweetness Hives Bees And Honey

Author:Jonathan Swift

“Two women seldom grow intimate but at the expense of a third person.”

Persons Two Grows Women Thirds Intimate Expenses Third Person

Author:Jonathan Swift

“Nothing is so great an example of bad manners as flattery. If you flatter all the company, you please none; If you flatter only one or two, you offend the rest.”

Ifs Two Company Example Please Manners Flattery Bad Manners

Author:Jonathan Swift

“And he gave it for his opinion, "that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together.”

“For the rest, whatever we have got has been by infinite labor, and search, and ranging through every corner of nature; the difference is that instead of dirt and poison, we have rather chosen to fill our hives with honey and wax, thus furnishing mankind with the two noblest of things, which are sweetness and light.”

Has Beens Two Light Culture Differences Mankind Labor Infinite Corners Chosen Poison Honey Dirt Sweetness Hives Bees And Honey

Author:Jonathan Swift

“The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word.”

Men Two Politics Greatness Court Great Men Maxims Countenance

Book:The Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D.: Carefully Selected; with a Biography of the Author

Source: The Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D.: Carefully Selected; with a Biography of the Author

“They have likewise discovered two lesser stars, or satellites, which revolve around Mars, whereof the innermost is distant from the center of the primary exactly three of his diameters, and the outermost five: the former revolves in the space of ten hours, and the latter in twenty-one and a half, so that the squares of their periodical times are very near in the same proportion with the cubes of their distances from the center of Mars; which evidently shows them to be governed by the same Law of Gravitation that influences the other heavenly bodies.”

“Two friendships in two breasts requires The same aversions and desires.”

Two Feelings Desire Friendship Friends Breasts Aversion

Book:The Poems of Jonathan Swift ...

Source: The Poems of Jonathan Swift ...