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121 Quotes for 'Samuel Butler (1)' in the Database.
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Letter "S" »
Samuel Butler (1) Quotes
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The self-same thing they will abhor
One way, and long another for.
Topic: Abhorrence
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 219)
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He could raise scruples dark and nice,
And after solve 'em in a trice;
As if Divinity had catch'd
The itch, on purpose to be scratched.
Topic: Ability
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 163)
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For as our modern wits behold,
Mounted a pick-back on the old,
Much farther off, much further he,
Rais'd on his aged Beast, could see.
Topic: Ability
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto II, l. 971)
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A degenerate nobleman, or one that is proud of his birth, is like
a turnip. There is nothing good of him but that which is
underground.
Topic: Ancestry
Source: "Characters" A Degenerate Noblemen
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Where entity and quiddity,
The ghosts of defunct bodies, fly.
Topic: Apparitions
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 145)
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Whatever Sceptic could inquire for,
For every why he had a wherefore.
Topic: Argument
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 131)
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He'd undertake to prove, by force
Of argument, a man's no horse.
He'd prove a buzzard is no fowl,
And that a Lord may be an owl,
A calf an Alderman, a goose a Justice,
And rooks, Committee-men or Trustees.
Topic: Argument
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 71)
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I've heard old cunning stagers
Say, fools for arguments use wagers.
Topic: Argument
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto I, l. 297)
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Authority intoxicates,
And makes mere sots of magistrates;
The fumes of it invade the brain,
And make men giddy, proud, and vain.
Topic: Authority
Source: Miscellaneous Thoughts (l. 283)
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He who rules by moral force is like the pole star, which remains
in place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.
Topic: Authority
Source: Miscellaneous Thoughts (l. 283)
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Authority is never without hate.
Topic: Authority
Source: Miscellaneous Thoughts (l. 283)
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And force them, though it was in spite
Of Nature and their stars, to write.
Topic: Authorship
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 647)
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Like feather-bed betwixt a wall
And heavy brunt of cannon ball.
Topic: Beds
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto II, l. 871)
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Cheered up himself with ends of verse
And sayings of philosophers.
Topic: Cheerfulness
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 1011)
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Why should not Conscience have vacation
As well as other Courts o' th' nation?
Have equal power to adjourn,
Appoint appearance and return?
Topic: Conscience
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto II, l. 317)
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He was in Logic, a great critic,
Profoundly skill'd in Analytic;
He could distinguish, and divide
A hair 'twixt south and south-west side.
Topic: Criticism
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 65)
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For now the field is not far off
Where we must give the world a proof
Of deeds, not words.
Topic: Deeds
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 867)
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And bid the devil take the hin'most.
Topic: Devil
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto II, l. 633)
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Nick Machiavel had ne'er a trick
(Though he gave his name to our Old Nick).
Topic: Devil
Source: Hudibras (pt. III, canto I, l. 1,313)
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Have always been at daggers-drawing,
And one another clapper-clawing.
Topic: Dissension
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto II, l.79)
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For his religion, it was fit
To match his learning and his wit;
'Twas Presbyterian true blue;
For he was of that stubborn crew
Of errant saints, whom all men grant
To be the true Church Militant;
Such as do build their faith upon
The holy text of pike and gun;
Decide all controversies by
Infallible artillery;
And prove their doctrine orthodox,
By Apostolic blows and knocks.
Topic: Doctrine
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 189)
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What makes all doctrines plain and clear?--
About two hundred pounds a year.
And that which was prov'd true before
Prove false again? Two hundred more.
Topic: Doctrine
Source: Hudibras (pt. III, canto I, l. 1,277)
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He that is down can fall no lower.
Topic: Failure
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 878)
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Men do not stumble over mountains, but over molehills.
Topic: Failure
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 878)
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I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
Topic: Failure
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 878)
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And as the French we conquer'd once,
Now give us laws for pantaloons,
The length of breeches and the gathers
Port-cannons, periwigs, and feathers.
Topic: Fashion
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 923)
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Success, the mark no mortal wit,
Or surest hand, can always hit:
For whatsoe'er we perpetrate,
We do but row, we're steer'd by Fate,
Which in success oft disinherits,
For spurious causes, noblest merits.
Topic: Fate
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 879)
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Fear is an ague, that forsakes
And haunts, by fits, those whom it takes;
And they'll opine they feel the pain
And blows they felt, to-day, again.
Topic: Fear
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III)
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His fear was greater than his haste:
For fear, though fleeter than the wind,
Believes 'tis always left behind.
Topic: Fear
Source: Hudibras (pt. III, canto III, l. 64)
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To swallow gudgeons ere they're catch'd.
And count their chickens ere they're hatch'd.
Topic: Folly
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto III, l. 923)
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With mortal crisis doth portend,
My days to appropinque an end.
Topic: Future
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 589)
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He ne'er consider'd it as loth
To look a gift-horse in the mouth,
And very wisely would lay forth
No more upon it than 'twas worth;
But as he got it freely, so
He spent it frank and freely too:
For saints themselves will sometimes be,
Of gifts that cost them nothing, free.
Topic: Gifts
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 489)
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Nothing's more dull and negligent
Than an old, lazy government,
That knows no interest of state,
But such as serves a present strait.
Topic: Government
Source: Miscellaneous Thoughts (l. 159)
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And though it be a two-foot trout,
'Tis with a single hair pulled out.
Topic: Hair
Source: Hudibras
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If he that in the field is slain
Be in the bed of honour lain,
He that is beaten may be said
To lie in Honour's truckle-bed.
Topic: Honor
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 1,047)
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Now, while the honour thou hast got
Is spick and span new.
Topic: Honor
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 397)
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Honor is like a widow, won
With brisk attempt and putting on.
Topic: Honor
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto I)
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As quick as lightning, in the breach
Just in the place where honour's lodged,
As wise philosophers have judged,
Because a kick in that place more
Hurts honour than deep wounds before.
Topic: Honor
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto III, l. 1,066)
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Unconscious humor.
Topic: Humor
Source: Life and Habit
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The truest characters of ignorance
Are vanity, and pride, and annoyance.
Topic: Ignorance
Source: Hudibras
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Like men condemned to thunderbolts,
Who, ere the blow, become mere dolts.
Topic: Insanity
Source: Hudibras (pt. III, canto II, l. 565)
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So justice while she winks at crimes,
Stumbles on innocence sometimes.
Topic: Justice
Source: Hudibras (canto II, pt. II, l. 1177)
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He knew what's what, and that's as high
As metaphysic wit can fly.
Topic: Knowledge
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 149)
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Deep sighted in intelligence,
Ideas, atoms, influences.
Topic: Knowledge
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 533)
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Nor do I know what is become
Of him, more than the Pope of Rome.
Topic: Knowledge
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto III, l. 263)
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He knew whats'ever 's to be known,
But much more than he knew would own.
Topic: Knowledge
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto III, l. 297)
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Your pettifoggers damn their souls,
To share with knaves in cheating fools.
Topic: Law
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto I, l. 515)
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Is not the winding up witnesses,
And nicking, more than half the bus'ness?
For witnesses, like watches, go
Just as they're set, too fast or slow;
And where in Conscience they're strait-lac'd,
'Tis ten to one that side is cast.
Topic: Law
Source: Hudibras (pt. II, canto II, l. 359)
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And wisely tell what hour o' th' day
The clock does strike by Algebra.
Topic: Learning
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, 125)
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In mathematics he was greater
Than Tycho Brahe, or Erra Pater;
For he, by geometric scale,
Could take the size of pots of ale.
Topic: Learning
Source: Hudibras (pt. I, canto I, l. 119)
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