Marriage resembles a pair of shears, so joined that they cannot be separated; often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing anyone who comes between them. Sydney Smith More Quotes by Sydney Smith More Quotes From Sydney Smith No furniture is so charming as books. Sydney Smith furniture reading book Some men have only one book in them, others a library. Sydney Smith reading men book In composing, as a general rule, run your pen through every other word you have written; you have no idea what vigor it will give your style. Sydney Smith writing running ideas It is no more necessary that a man should remember the different dinners and suppers which have made him healthy, than the different books which have made him wise. Let us see the results of good food in a strong body, and the results of great reading in a full and powerful mind. Sydney Smith powerful strong wise Take short views, hope for the best and trust in God. Sydney Smith army military views Madam, I have been looking for a person who disliked gravy all my life; let us swear eternal friendship. Sydney Smith food friendship life Have the courage to be ignorant of a great number of things, in order to avoid the calamity of being ignorant of everything. Sydney Smith ignorance courage order When you rise in the morning, form a resolution to make the day a happy one for a fellow creature. Sydney Smith resolution form morning Never give way to melancholy; resist it steadily, for the habit will encroach. Sydney Smith melancholy giving way Among the smaller duties of life I hardly know any one more important than that of not praising where praise is not due. Sydney Smith duty important praise Avoid shame, but do not seek glory; nothing so expensive as glory. Sydney Smith shame reputation glory Great men hallow a whole people, and lift up all who live in their time. Sydney Smith greatness time men Solitude cherishes great virtues and destroys little ones. Sydney Smith cherish solitude littles How can a bishop marry? How can he flirt? The most he can say is "I will see you in the vestry after service." Sydney Smith bishops flirting church Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient. Sydney Smith poverty poor men Find fault, when you must find fault, in private, if possible; and some time after the offense, rather than at the time. Sydney Smith offense faults ifs 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. Sydney Smith alliances errors mistake When I hear any man talk of an unalterable law, the only effect it produces on me is to convince me that he is an unalterable fool Sydney Smith religious law men His enemies might have said before that he talked rather too much; but now he has occasional flashes of silence, that make his conversation perfectly delightful. Sydney Smith silence might enemy What two ideas are more inseparable than beer and Britannia? Sydney Smith beer war ideas