Charles Churchill (satirist)

"Who to patch up his fame, or fill his purse, Still pilfers wretched plans, and makes them worse; Like gypsies, lest the stolen brat be known, Defacing first, then claiming for his own."

"Men the most infamous are fond of fame, And those who fear not guilt yet start at shame."

"He sickened at all triumphs but his own."

"Genius is of no country; her pure ray Spreads all abroad, as general as the day."

"He mouths a sentence as curs mouth a bone."

"Fashion—a word which knaves and fools may use, Their knavery and folly to excuse. To copy beauties, forfeits all pretence To fame—to copy faults, is want of sense."

"So much they talked, so very little said."

"Not without Art, but yet to Nature true, She charms the town with humour just, yet new."

"But, spite of all the criticising elves, Those who would make us feel—must feel themselves."

"The two extremes appear like man and wife, Coupled together for the sake of strife."

"Where he falls short, 'tis Nature's fault alone; Where he succeeds, the merit's all his own."

"When foes insult, and prudent friends dispense, In pity's strains, the worst of insolence, Oft with thee, Lloyd, I steal an hour from grief, And in thy social converse find relief."

"No statesman e'er will find it worth his pains To tax our labours and excise our brains."

"No tribute's laid on castles in the air."

"Keep up appearances; there lies the test. The world will give thee credit for the rest."

"Grave without thought, and without feeling, gay."

"Apt alliteration's artful aid."

"There webs were spread of more than common size, And half-starved spiders prey’d on half-starved flies."

"Amongst the sons of men how few are known Who dare be just to merit not their own?"

"Thy danger chiefly lies in acting well; No crime's so great as daring to excel."

"When fiction rises pleasing to the eye, Men will believe, because they love the lie; But Truth herself, if clouded with a frown, Must have some solemn proof to pass her down."

"With curious art the brain, too finely wrought, Preys on herself, and is destroy'd by thought: Constant attention wears the active mind, Blots out our powers, and leaves a blank behind."

"England, a happy land we know, Where follies naturally grow."

"Knaves starve not in the land of fools."

"And adepts in the speaking trade Keep a cough by them ready made."

"Just to the windward of the law."

"Why should we fear? and what? The laws? They all are arm'd in Virtue's cause; And aiming at the self-same end, Satire is always Virtue's friend."

"Drawn by Conceit from Reason's plan, How vain is that poor creature, Man! How pleased is every paltry elf To prate about that thing, himself."

"Within the brain's most secret cells A certain Lord Chief Justice dwells, Of sovereign power, whom, one and all, With common voice, we Reason call."

"A joke's a very serious thing."

"Be England what she will, With all her faults she is my country still."

"Wherever waves can roll, and winds can blow."

"'Tis mighty easy o'er a glass of wine On vain refinements vainly to refine, To laugh at poverty in plenty's reign, To boast of apathy when out of pain, And in each sentence, worthy of the schools, Varnish'd with sophistry, to deal out rules Most fit for practice, but for one poor fault, That into practice they can ne'er be brought."

"It can't be Nature, for it is not sense."

"As the law does think fit No butchers shall on juries sit."