The world is like a vast sea: mankind like a vessel sailing on its tempestuous bosom. ... [T]he sciences serve us for oars. Oliver Goldsmith More Quotes by Oliver Goldsmith More Quotes From Oliver Goldsmith A modest woman, dressed out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole creation. Oliver Goldsmith modest creation whole The best way to make your audience laugh is to start laughing yourself. Oliver Goldsmith laughter laughing way Modesty seldom resides in a breast that is not enriched with nobler virtues. Oliver Goldsmith breasts modesty virtue Unequal combinations are always disadvantageous to the weaker side. Oliver Goldsmith combination business sides The bounds of a man's knowledge are easily concealed, if he has but prudence. Oliver Goldsmith prudence cunning men I have found by experience that they who have spent all their lives in cities contract not only an effeminacy of habit, but of thinking. Oliver Goldsmith habit cities thinking I have seen her and sister cry over a book for an hour together, and they said, they liked the book the better the more it made them cry. Oliver Goldsmith cry tears book There are some faults so nearly allied to excellence that we can scarce weed out the vice without eradicating the virtue. Oliver Goldsmith marijuana weed excellence Our bounty, like a drop of water, disappears, when diffus'd too widely Oliver Goldsmith drop-of-water disappear water The first blow is half the battle. Oliver Goldsmith battle blow firsts People seek within a short span of life to satisfy a thousand desires, each of which is insatiable. Oliver Goldsmith inspirational life people The greatest object in the universe, says a certain philosopher, is a good man struggling with adversity; yet there is still a greater, which is the good man who comes to relieve it. Oliver Goldsmith adversity struggle men How wide the limits stand Between a splendid and a happy land. Oliver Goldsmith splendid limits land True wisdom consists of tracing effects to their causes. Oliver Goldsmith effects causes wisdom Remote, unfriended, melancholy, slow, Or by the lazy Scheld or wandering Po. Oliver Goldsmith melancholy lazy laziness I have known a German Prince with more titles than subjects, and a Spanish nobleman with more names than shirts. Oliver Goldsmith titles society names No one but a fool would measure their satisfaction by what the world thinks of it. Oliver Goldsmith fool world thinking A great source of calamity lies in regret and anticipation; therefore a person is wise who thinks of the present alone, regardless of the past or future. Oliver Goldsmith regret wise lying Near yonder copse, where once the garden smil'd, Oliver Goldsmith fashion flower country In two opposite opinions, if one be perfectly reasonable, the other can't be perfectly right. Oliver Goldsmith opinion opposites two