Richard brinsley sheridan quotes

The most threatened group in human societies as in animal societies is the unmated male: the unmated male is more likely to wind up in prison or in an asylum or dead than his mated counterpart. He is less likely to be promoted at work and he is considered a poor credit risk.

I would by no means wish a daughter of mine to be a progeny of learning.

The heart that is conscious of its own integrity is ever slow to credit another´s treachery.

Men seldom think deeply on subjects in which they have no choice of opinion: they are fearful of encountering obstacles to their faith--as in religion--and so are content with the surface.

There is nothing on earth so easy as to forget, if a person chooses to set about it. I'm sure I have as much forgot your poor, dear uncle, as if he had never existed; and I thought it my duty to do so.

If Parliament were to consider the sporting with reputation of as much importance as sporting on manors, and pass an act for the preservation of fame as well as game, there are many who would thank them for the bill.

Justice-august and pure, the abstract idea of all that would be perfect in the spirits and the inspirations of men!-where the mind rises; where the heart expands; where the countenance is ever placid and benign; where her favorite attitude is to stoop to the unfortunate; to hear their cry and to help them; to rescue and relieve; to succor and save; majestic, from its mercy; venerable, from its Lutility; uplifted, without pride; firm without obduracy; beneficent in each preference; lovely, though in her frown!

A man may think an untruth as well as speak one.

A wise woman will always let her husband have her way.

Fertilizer does no good in a heap, but a little spread around works miracles all over.

He is the very pineapple of politeness.

Had I a heart for falsehood framed, I ne'er could injure you.

The quarrel is a very pretty quarrel as it stands - we should only spoil it by trying to explain it.

Prudence, like experience, must be paid for.

It is not my interest to pay the principal, nor my principle to pay the interest.

Here is the whole set! a character dead at every word.

The silver ore of pure charity is an expensive article in the catalogue of a man's good qualities.

I leave my character behind me.

Nothing keeps me in such awe as perfect beauty; now, there is something consoling and encouraging in ugliness.

To smile at the jest which plants a thorn in another's breast is to become a principal in the mischief.

There are a set of malicious, prating, prudent gossips, both male and female, who murder characters to kill time; and will rob a young fellow of his good name before he has years to know the value of it.

Certainly nothing is unnatural that is not physically impossible.

Happiness is an exotic of celestial birth.

I had rather follow you to your grave than see you owe your life to any but a regular-bred physician.

The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.

When of a gossiping circle it was asked, "What are they doing?" The answer was, "Swapping lies.

An unforgiving eye, and a damned disinheriting countenance!

Do thou snatch treasures from my lips, and I'll take kingdoms back from thine.

An oyster may be crossed in love.

Tale-bearers are as bad as the tale-makers.

I ne'er could any luster see in eyes that would not look on me.

As there are three of us come on purpose for the game, you won't be so cantankerous as to spoil the party by sitting out.

Never say more than is necessary.

Illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory.

Easy writing's curst hard reading.

Give them a corrupt House of Lords, give them a venal House of Commons, give they a tyrannical Prince, give them a truckling court, and let me have but an unfettered press. I will defy them to encroach a hair's breadth upon the liberties of England.

Humanity is composed but of two categories, the invalids and the nurses

Humanity always becomes a conqueror.

The number of those who undergo the fatigue of judging for themselves is very small indeed.

A readiness to resent injuries is a virtue only in those who are slow to injure.

There 's nothing like being used to a thing.

A man may surely be allowed to take a glass of wine by his own fireside.

Mr. Speaker. I said the honorable member was a liar it is true and I am sorry for it. The honorable member may place the punctuation where he pleases.

My valour is certainly going! - it is sneaking off! - I feel it oozing out as it were at the palms of my hands!

Death's a debt; his mandamus binds all alike- no bail, no demurrer.

Madam, a circulating library in a town is as an evergreen tree of diabolical knowledge; it blossoms through the year. And depend on it that they who are so fond of handling the leaves, will long for the fruit at last.

Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.

I'll make my old clothes know who's master. I shall straightaway cashier the hunting-frock, and render my leather breeches incapable. My hair has been in training some time.

There is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy.

Wit loses its point when dipped in malice.

In all cases of slander currency, whenever the forger of the lie is not to be found, the injured parties should have a right to come on any of the indorsers.

Self confidence is the ground stone of success

For in religion as in friendship, they who profess most are ever the least sincere.

Modesty is a quality in a lover more praised by the women than liked.

The newspapers! Sir, they are the most villainous - licentious -abominable - infernal - Not that I ever read them - No - I make it a rule never to look into a newspaper.

A bumper of good liquor Will end a contest quicker Than justice, judge or vicar.

The Right Honourable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.

If I reprehend anything in this world, it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs!

We will not anticipate the past; so mind, young people,-our retrospection will be all to the future.

A practitioner in panegyric, or, to speak more plainly, a professor of the art of puffing.

Our ancestors are very good kind of folks; but they are the last people I should choose to have a visiting acquaintance with.

I loved him for himself alone.

I'm called away by particular business - but I leave my character behind me

Where they do agree on the stage, their unanimity is wonderful.

Fame, the sovereign deity of proud ambition.

I own the soft impeachment.

Egad, I think the interpreter is the hardest to be understood of the two!

I hate to see prudence clinging to the green suckers of youth; 'tis like ivy round a sapling, and spoils the growth of the tree.

Steal! to be sure they may; and, egad, serve your best thoughts as gypsies do stolen children,-disfigure them to make 'em pass for their own.

They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.

There is no trusting appearances.

Ay, ay, the best terms will grow obsolete: damns have had their day.

Date not the life which thou hast run by the mean of reckoning of the hours and days, which though hast breathed: a life spent worthily should be measured by a nobler line, - by deeds, not years.

Pity those whom nature abuses, never those who abuse nature.

A tale of scandal is as fatal to the credit of a prudent lady as a fever is generally to those of the strongest constitutions. But there is a sort of puny, sickly reputation, that is always ailing, yet will wither the robuster characters of a hundred prudes.

I was struck all on a heap.

Good reading makes for damn hard writing.

Through all the drama - whether damned or not - Love gilds the scene, and women guide the plot.

Believe not each accusing tongue, As most weak persons do; But still believe that story wrong, Which ought not to be true!

A circulating library in a town is as an evergreen tree of diabolical knowledge.

A life spent worthily should be measured by a nobler line,-by deeds, not years.

I ne'er could any lustre see In eyes that would not look on me; I ne'er saw nectar on a lip But where my own did hope to sip.

When delicate and feeling souls are separated, there is not a feature in the sky, not a movement of the elements, not an aspiration of the breeze, but hints some cause for a lover's apprehension.

She's as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile.

Nay, but Jack, such eyes! such eyes! so innocently wild! so bashfully irresolute! Not a glance but speaks and kindles some thought of love! Then, Jack, her cheeks! her cheeks, Jack! so deeply blushing at the insinuations of her tell-tale eyes! Then, Jack, her lips! O, Jack, lips smiling at their own discretion! and, if not smiling, more sweetly pouting - more lovely in sullenness! Then, Jack, her neck! O, Jack, Jack!

There's no possibility of being witty without a little ill-nature - the malice of a good thing is the barb that makes it stick.

You write with ease, to show your breeding, But easy writing's vile hard reading.

You shall see them on a beautiful quarto page where a neat rivulet of text shall meander through a meadow of margin.

A progeny of learning.

'Tis safest in matrimony to begin with a little aversion.

There's only one truth about war: people die.

There needs no small degree of address to gain the reputation of benevolence without incurring the expense.

Here 's to the maiden of bashful fifteen; Here 's to the widow of fifty; Here 's to the flaunting, extravagant queen, And here 's to the housewife that 's thrifty! Let the toast pass; Drink to the lass; I 'll warrant she 'll prove an excuse for the glass.

That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.

Believe that story false that ought not to be true.

Satires and lampoons on particular people circulate more by giving copies in confidence to the friends of the parties, than by printing them.

Conscience has no more to do with gallantry than it has with politics.

No scandal about Queen Elizabeth, I hope?

An aspersion upon my parts of speech!

Though I never scruple a lie to serve my Master, it hurts one's conscience to be found out!

Wine does but draw forth a man's natural qualities.

Be just before you are generous.

Sheer necessity,-the proper parent of an art so nearly allied to invention.

There never was a scandalous tale without some foundation.

A fluent tongue is the only thing a mother don't like her daughter to resemble her in.

Many a wretch has rid on a hurdle who has done less mischief than utterers of forged tales, coiners of scandal, and clippers of reputation.

Easy writings curse is hard reading.

It is by women that nature writes on the hearts of men.

The throne we honour is the people's choice.

I open with a clock striking, to beget an awful attention in the audience - it also marks the time, which is four o clock in the morning, and saves a description of the rising sun, and a great deal about gilding the eastern hemisphere.

Our memories are independent of our wills.

Whena scandalousstory isbelieved againstone, thereis certainly no comfort like the conscience of having deserved it.

If it is abuse, - why one is always sure to hear of it from one damned goodnatured friend or another!

Those that vow the most are the least sincere.

An apothecary should never be out of spirits.

If the thought is slow to come, a glass of good wine encourages it; and when it does come, a glass of good wine rewards it.

Women govern us; let us render them perfect: the more they are enlightened, so much the more shall we be. On the cultivation of the mind of women depends the wisdom of men. It is by women that nature writes on the hearts of men.

O Lord, Sir - when a heroine goes mad she always goes into white satin.

Here, my dear Lucy, hide these books. Quick, quick! Fling "Peregrine Pickle" under the toilette -throw "Roderick Random" into the closet -put "The Innocent Adultery" into "The Whole Duty of Man"; thrust "Lord Aimworth" under the sofa! cram "Ovid" behind the bolster; there -put "The Man of Feeling" into your pocket. Now for them.

Soft pity never leaves the gentle breast where love has been received a welcome guest.