Top 100 Richard Brinsley Sheridan Quotes
#1. Had I a thousand daughters, by Heaven! I'd as soon have them taught the black art as their alphabet!
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#2. Believe not each accusing tongue,
As most weak persons do;
But still believe that story wrong,
Which ought not to be true!
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#3. I had rather follow you to your grave than see you owe your life to any but a regular-bred physician.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#4. If Charles is undone, he'll find half his acquaintance ruined too, and that, you know, is a consolation.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#5. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#6. I am compliance itself - when I am not thwarted; - no one more easily led - when I have my own way.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#9. To smile at the jest which plants a thorn in another's breast is to become a principal in the mischief.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#11. When of a gossiping circle it was asked, "What are they doing?" The answer was, "Swapping lies.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#12. Satires and lampoons on particular people circulate more by giving copies in confidence to the friends of the parties, than by printing them.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#13. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#19. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#23. Through all the drama - whether damned or not -Love gilds the scene, and women guide the plot.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#25. There needs no small degree of address to gain the reputation of benevolence without incurring the expense.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#27. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#29. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#31. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#32. The quarrel is a very pretty quarrel as it stands - we should only spoil it by trying to explain it.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#33. Remember that when you meet your antagonist, to do everything in a mild agreeable manner. Let your courage be keen, but, at the same time, as polished as your sword.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#34. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#38. The silver ore of pure charity is an expensive article in the catalogue of a man's good qualities.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#41. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#46. -'tis an old observation, and a very true one; but what's to be done, as I said before? how will you prevent people from talking? ...
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#48. The right honorable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#49. Our ancestors are very good kind of folks; but they are the last people I should choose to have a visiting acquaintance with.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#51. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#53. You shall see them on a beautiful quarto page where a neat rivulet of text shall meander through a meadow of margin.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#58. My valor is certainly going, it is sneaking off! I feel it oozing out as it were, at the palms of my hands!
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#59. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#62. Nothing keeps me in such awe as perfect beauty; now, there is something consoling and encouraging in ugliness.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#64. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#65. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#67. We will not anticipate the past; so mind, young people,-our retrospection will be all to the future.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#71. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#80. 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 ...
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#81. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#88. The glorious uncertainty of the law was a thing well known and complained of, by all ignorant people, but all learned gentleman considered it as its greatest excellency.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#89. Whena scandalousstory isbelieved againstone, thereis certainly no comfort like the conscience of having deserved it.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#90. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
#99. 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.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
