Sydney Smith
Sydney Smith
Sydney Smithwas an English wit, writer and Anglican cleric...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionClergyman
Date of Birth3 June 1771
argument humorous ounce pound wit worth
An ounce of wit is worth a pound of argument
age-and-aging expense past present sign
That sign of old age, extolling the past at the expense of the present
avoid expensive glory seek
Avoid shame, but do not seek glory, nothing is so expensive as glory
catch chance preaching unless
There is not the least use in preaching to anyone, unless you chance to catch them ill.
alliance dangerous deal errors extensive great obtain truth
Errors to be dangerous must have a great deal of truth mingled with them. It is only from this alliance that they can ever obtain an extensive circulation.
bridle dying fifteen horse manages paid per pouring schoolboy seven spoon taxed youth
The schoolboy whips his taxed top; the beardless youth manages his taxed horse with a taxed bridle on a taxed road; and the dying Englishman, pouring his medicine, which has paid seven per cent, into a spoon that has paid fifteen per cent, flings him
compassion curate excites name
A Curate - there is something which excites compassion in the very name of a Curate!!!
anyone couples gets marriage married moving opposite pair punishing resemble
Married couples resemble a pair of scissors, often moving in opposite directions, yet punishing anyone who gets in between them.
grave healthy relish
I have no relish for the country; it is a kind of healthy grave
bones dreadful flesh found left sit
Heat, ma'am!" I said; "it was so dreadful here, that I found there was nothing left for it but to take off my flesh and sit in my bones
man minutes together
I never could find any man who could think for two minutes together
believe except facts falsehood
Oh, don't tell me of facts -- I never believe facts: you know Canning said nothing was so fallacious as facts, except figures.
burning charm days direct food given god laughter life man marble plain steps support ways
Man could direct his ways by plain reason, and support his life by tasteless food, but God has given us wit, and flavor, and brightness, and laughter to enliven the days of man's pilgrimage, and to charm his pained steps over the burning marble
happiness happy hence mankind memory twenty
Mankind are always happy for having been happy; so that, if you make them happy now, you make them happy twenty years hence by the memory of it