When a true genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in confederacy against him. Jonathan Swift More Quotes by Jonathan Swift More Quotes From Jonathan Swift So, naturalists observe, a flea; Hath smaller fleas that on him prey; And these have smaller fleas to bite 'em, And so proceed ad infinitum. Jonathan Swift fleasmathematicsems By the laws of God, of nature, of nations, and of your country you are and ought to be as free a people as your brethren in England. Jonathan Swift freedomlawcountry In oratory the greatest art is to hide art. Jonathan Swift oratorypublic-speakingart Neither are any wars so furious and bloody, or of so long continuance as those occasioned by difference in opinion, especially if it be in things indifferent. Jonathan Swift differenceswarlong Men of wit, learning and virtue might strike out every offensive or unbecoming passage from plays. Jonathan Swift playdramamen The greatest Inventions were produced in Times of Ignorance; as the Use of the Compass, Gunpowder, and Printing; and by the dullest Nation, as the Germans. Jonathan Swift ignorantignorancescience A traveler's chief aim should be to make men wiser and better, and to improve their minds by the bad-as well as good example of what they deliver concerning foreign places. Jonathan Swift examplemindmen Books, like men their authors, have no more than one wayofcoming intothe world, but there areten thousand to go out of it, and return no more. Jonathan Swift menbookworld When any one person or body of men seize into their hands the power in the last resort, there is properly no longer a government, but what Aristotle and his followers call the abuse and corruption of one. Jonathan Swift abusemenhands Come hither, all ye empty things, Jonathan Swift fatekingsmean I love good creditable acquaintance; I love to be the worst of the company. Jonathan Swift acquaintancecompanyworst We have an intuitive sense of our duty. Jonathan Swift intuitiveduty So endless and exorbitant are the desires of men that they will grasp at all, and can form no scheme of perfect happiness with less. Jonathan Swift perfecthappinessmen If it were a rainy day, a drunken vigil, a fit of the spleen, a course of physic, sleepy Sunday, an ill run at dice, a long tailor's bill, a beggar's purse, a factious head, a hot sun, costive diet, want of books, and a just contempt for learning - but for these. . .the number of authors and of writing would dwindle away to a degree most woeful to behold. Jonathan Swift writingrunningbook The common fluency of speech in many men, and most women, is owing to a scarcity of matter and a scarcity of words; for whosoever is a master of language, and hath a mind full of ideas, will be apt, in speaking, to hesitate upon the choice of both. Jonathan Swift talkingmenideas It is pleasant to observe how free the present age is in laying taxes on the next. "Future ages shall talk of this; they shall be famous to all posterity;" whereas their time and thoughts will be taken up about present things, as ours are now. Jonathan Swift nexttakenage We are so fond on one another because our ailments are the same. Jonathan Swift ailmentsaffectionliterature The tiny Lilliputians surmise that Gulliver's watch may be his god, because it is that which, he admits, he seldom does anything without consulting. Jonathan Swift gulliverdoewatches When a real genius appeares in this world, you'll know him by the fact that all the fools have allied against him. Jonathan Swift geniusrealworld What vexes me most is, that my female friends, who could bear me very well a dozen years ago, have now forsaken me, although I am not so old in proportion to them as I formerly was: which I can prove by arithmetic, for then I was double their age, which now I am not. Letter to Alexander Pope. 7 Feb. 1736. Jonathan Swift agefriendshipyears
