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
running talent human-nature
It is the talent of human nature to run from one extreme to another.
art nature lying
This single Stick, which you now behold ingloriously lying in that neglected Corner, I once knew in a flourishing State in a Forest: It was full of Sap, full of Leaves, and full of Boughs: But now, in vain does the busy Art of Man pretend to vie with Nature, by tying that withered Bundle of Twigs to its sapless Trunk: It is at best but the Reverse of what it was; a Tree turned upside down, the Branches on the Earth, and the Root in the Air.
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
bit food maxim men tis
Tis an old maxim in the schools, That flattery's the food of fools; Yet now and then your men of wit, Will condescend to take a bit
abroad bred company returned traveler worst
Usually speaking, the worst bred person in company is a young traveler just returned from abroad
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.
comfort keeps man proud time
If a proud man makes me keep my distance, the comfort is that he keeps his at the same time
belief cannot concealed defect ought
The want of belief is a defect that ought to be concealed when it cannot be overcome.
money
A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.
ashamed man wiser
A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying... that he is wiser today than yesterday.
bold eat man
He was a bold man that first eat on oyster.