Modesty is a quality in a lover more praised by the women than liked.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Modesty, Humility
Believe that story false that ought not to be true.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
He is the very pineapple of politeness!
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Manners
That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Aging, Age
Tale bearers are just as bad as tale makers.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Gossip
The Right Honourable Gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Memory, Humor
Here, my dear Lucy, hide these books. Quick, quick! Fling “Peregrine Pickle” under the toilette—throw “Roderick Random” into the closet—put “The Innocent Adultery” into “The Whole Duty of Man” thrust “Lord Aimworth” under the sofa! cram “Ovid” behind the bolster; there—put “The Man of Feeling” into your pocket. Now for them.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Reading
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
Topics: Conflict
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
There’s no possibility of being witty without a little ill-nature—the malice of a good thing is the barb that makes it stick.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Hate
There is 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
Topics: Gossip
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
Topics: Libraries
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
Topics: Absence, Aspirations
A man may surely be allowed to take a glass of wine by his own fireside.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Wine
When of a gossiping circle it was asked, What are they doing? The answer was, Swapping lies.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Gossip
Those that vow the most are the least sincere.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Sincerity
They only babble who practise not reflection.—I shall think; and thought is silence.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Reflection
Ay, ay, the best terms will grow obsolete: damns have had their day.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Profanity, Swearing, Vulgarity
Women govern us; let us try to render them more perfect. The more they are enlightened, so much the more we shall be. On the cultivation of the minds of women, depends the wisdom of man.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Woman
Easy writings curse is hard reading.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Writers, Authors & Writing, Writing
You know it is not my interest to pay the principal, or my principal to pay the interest.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Debt
I open with a clock striking, to beget an awful attention in the audience—it also marks the time, which is four o clock in the morning, and saves a description of the rising sun, and a great deal about gilding the eastern hemisphere.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Theater
Take care; you know I am compliance itself, when I am not thwarted! No one more easily led, when I have my own way; but don’t put me in a frenzy.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Temper, Anger
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
Topics: Ancestors
An unforgiving eye, and a damned disinheriting countenance!
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Fathers, Father
Steal! to be sure they may, and, egad, serve your best thoughts as gipsies do stolen children—disfigure them to make them pass for their own.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Plagiarism
Our memories are independent of our wills. It is not easy to forget.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Memory, Memories
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
Darkness is fled.—Now flowers unfold their beauties to the sun, and blushing, kiss the beam he sends to wake them.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Topics: Morning
Nay, but Jack, such eyes! such eyes! so innocently wild! so bashfully irresolute! Not a glance but speaks and kindles some thought of love! Then, Jack, her cheeks! her cheeks, Jack! so deeply blushing at the insinuations of her tell-tale eyes! Then, Jack, her lips! O, Jack, lips smiling at their own discretion! and, if not smiling, more sweetly pouting—more lovely in sullenness! Then, Jack, her neck! O, Jack, Jack!
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
- C. S. Lewis Irish-born Author, Scholar
- William Shakespeare British Playwright
- Dorothy L. Sayers English Novelist, Playwright
- Dodie Smith British Novelist
- Graham Greene British Novelist
- George Bernard Shaw Irish Playwright
- William Congreve English Dramatist
- Winston Churchill British Head of State
- Clare Boothe Luce American Playwright
- J. B. Priestley British Novelist, Playwright, Essayist
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