John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
Page 986
Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux. (1636–1711) (continued) |
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Every age has its pleasures, its style of wit, and its own ways. |
The Art of Poetry. Canto iii. Line 374. |
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He [Molière] pleases all the world, but cannot please himself. |
Satire 2. |
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“There, take,” says Justice, “take ye each a shell; We thrive at Westminster on fools like you. ’T was a fat oyster! live in peace,—adieu.” 1 |
Epître ii. |
Alain René Le Sage. (1668–1747) |
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It may be said that his wit shines at the expense of his memory. 2 |
Gil Blas. Book iii. Chap. xi. |
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I wish you all sorts of prosperity with a little more taste. |
Gil Blas. Book vii. Chap. iv. |
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Isocrates was in the right to insinuate, in his elegant Greek expression, that what is got over the Devil’s back is spent under his belly. 3 |
Gil Blas. Book viii. Chap. ix. |
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Facts are stubborn things. 4 |
Gil Blas. Book x. Chap. i. |
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Plain as a pike-staff. 5 |
Gil Blas. Book xii. Chap. viii. |
François Marie Arouet de Voltaire. (1694–1778) |
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If there were no God, it would be necessary to invent him. 6 |
Epître à l’Auteur du Livre des Trois Imposteurs. cxi. |
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The king [Frederic] has sent me some of his dirty linen to wash; I will wash yours another time. 7 |
Reply to General Manstein. |
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Men use thought only as authority for their injustice, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts. 8 |
Dialogue xiv. Le Chapon et la Poularde (l763). |
Note 1. See Pope, Quotation 225. [back] |
Note 2. See Sheridan, Quotation 41. [back] |
Note 3. See Rabelais, Quotation 48. [back] |
Note 4. See Smollett, Quotation 3. [back] |
Note 5. See Middleton, Quotation 12. [back] |
Note 6. See Tillotson, Quotation 1. [back] |
Note 7. Voltaire writes to his niece Dennis, July 24, 1752, “Voilà le roi qui m’envoie son linge à blanchir.” [back] |
Note 8. See Young, Quotation 64. [back] |