Richard Brinsley Sheridan
There never was a scandalous tale without some foundation.Collection: Foundation
I leave my character behind me.Collection: Character
You write with ease, to show your breeding, But easy writing's vile hard reading.Collection: Clever
It is by women that nature writes on the hearts of men.Collection: Writing
The Right Honourable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.Collection: Clever
Through all the drama - whether damned or not - Love gilds the scene, and women guide the plot.Collection: Drama
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.Collection: Animal
A circulating library in a town is as an evergreen tree of diabolical knowledge.Collection: Knowledge
A life spent worthily should be measured by a nobler line,-by deeds, not years.Collection: Life
There is no trusting appearances.Collection: Trust
Easy writings curse is hard reading.Collection: Reading
Pity those whom nature abuses, never those who abuse nature.Collection: Nature
Believe that story false that ought not to be true.Collection: Believe
Nothing keeps me in such awe as perfect beauty; now, there is something consoling and encouraging in ugliness.Collection: Perfect
Sheer necessity,-the proper parent of an art so nearly allied to invention.Collection: Art
They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.Collection: Long
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.Collection: Witty
If the thought is slow to come, a glass of good wine encourages it; and when it does come, a glass of good wine rewards it.Collection: Wine
An unforgiving eye, and a damned disinheriting countenance!Collection: Clever
Humanity always becomes a conqueror.Collection: Humanity
Wine does but draw forth a man's natural qualities.Collection: Wine
A man may surely be allowed to take a glass of wine by his own fireside.Collection: Clever
A readiness to resent injuries is a virtue only in those who are slow to injure.Collection: Revenge
Humanity is composed but of two categories, the invalids and the nursesCollection: Two
We will not anticipate the past; so mind, young people,-our retrospection will be all to the future.Collection: Future
It is not my interest to pay the principal, nor my principle to pay the interest.Collection: Pay
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.Collection: Hope
He is the very pineapple of politeness.Collection: Clever
A bumper of good liquor Will end a contest quicker Than justice, judge or vicar.Collection: Clever
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.Collection: Queens
No scandal about Queen Elizabeth, I hope?Collection: Hope
I own the soft impeachment.Collection: Confession
I'm called away by particular business - but I leave my character behind meCollection: Character
The quarrel is a very pretty quarrel as it stands - we should only spoil it by trying to explain it.Collection: Clever
The silver ore of pure charity is an expensive article in the catalogue of a man's good qualities.Collection: Men
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.Collection: Hate
The throne we honour is the people's choice.Collection: Clever
Where they do agree on the stage, their unanimity is wonderful.Collection: Agreement
I would by no means wish a daughter of mine to be a progeny of learning.Collection: Daughter
There needs no small degree of address to gain the reputation of benevolence without incurring the expense.Collection: Degrees
There 's nothing like being used to a thing.Collection: Used
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!Collection: Love
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.Collection: Children
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.Collection: Character
A man may think an untruth as well as speak one.Collection: Men
Give them a corrupt House of Lords, give them a venal House of Commons, give they a tyrannical Prince, give them a truckling court, and let me have but an unfettered press. I will defy them to encroach a hair's breadth upon the liberties of England.Collection: Hair
Satires and lampoons on particular people circulate more by giving copies in confidence to the friends of the parties, than by printing them.Collection: Party
An oyster may be crossed in love.Collection: Love