01c. 1807 ADMankind are always happier for having been happy. So that if you make them happy now, you make them happy twenty years hence by the memory of it.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
02c. 1807 ADThe main question to a novel is -- did it amuse? were you surprised at dinner coming so soon? did you mistake eleven for ten? were you too late to dress? and did you sit up beyond the usual hour? If a novel produces these effects, it is good; if it does not -- story, language, love, scandal itself cannot save it. It is only meant to please; and it must do that or it does nothing.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
04c. 1807 ADMadam, I have been looking for a person who disliked gravy all my life; let us swear eternal friendship.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
05c. 1807 ADIf I were to begin life again, I would devote it to music. It is the only cheap and unpunished rapture upon earth.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
06c. 1807 ADThe fact is that in order to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand shivering on the bank thinking of the cold and the danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
07c. 1807 ADWhen you rise in the morning, form a resolution to make the day a happy one for a fellow creature.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
09c. 1807 ADGoing to marry her? Impossible! You mean a part of her; he could not marry her all himself. It would be a case, not of bigamy but trigamy; there is enough of her to furnish wives for the whole parish. One man marry her! - it is monstrous! You might people a colony with her; or give an assembly with her; or perhaps take your morning's walk round her, always provided there were frequent resting places, and you were in rude health. I once was rash enough to try walking round her before breakfast, but only got half way and gave it up exhausted. Or you might read the Riot Act and disperse her; in short, you might do anything but marry her!Sydney Smith / quote ↗
10c. 1807 ADHe has returned from Italy a greater bore than ever he bores on architecture painting statuary and music.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
11c. 1807 ADHe (Macaulay) has occasional flashes of silence that make his conversation perfectly delightful.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
12c. 1807 ADYou never say a word of yourself dear Lady Grey. You have that dreadful sin of anti-egotism.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
13c. 1807 ADI have gout asthma and seven other maladies but am otherwise very well.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
14c. 1807 ADLife is to be fortified by many friendships. To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of existence.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
15c. 1807 ADTo do anything in this world worth doing we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
16c. 1807 ADGreat men hallow a whole people and lift up all who live in their time.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
17c. 1807 ADHope is the belief more or less strong that joy will come desire is the wish it may come.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
18c. 1807 ADI never believe facts Canning said nothing was so fallacious as facts except figures.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
19c. 1807 ADOh don't tell me of facts - I never believe in facts you know Canning said nothing was so fallacious as facts except figures.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
21c. 1807 ADIt is always considered a piece of impertinence in England if a man of less than two or three thousand a year has any opinions at all upon important subjects.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
23c. 1807 ADAmong the smaller duties in life I hardly know any one more important than that of not praising when praise is not due.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
24c. 1807 ADNever try to reason the prejudice out of a man. It was not reasoned into him and cannot be reasoned out.Sydney Smith / quote ↗
