John Gay Quotes

108 Sourced Quotes

Who hath not heard the rich complain Of surfeits, and corporeal pain? He barr'd from every use of wealth, Envies the ploughman's strength and health.

John Gay
Who friendship with a knave hath made, Is judged a partner in the trade.

John Gay
Of all the fools that pride can boast, A Coxcomb claims distinction most.

John Gay
Learning by study must be won; 'Twas ne'er entail'd from son to son.

John Gay
Of all the plagues that heav'n hath sent, A wasp is most impertinent!

John Gay
A rich rogue nowadays is fit company for any gentleman; and the world, my dear, hath not such a contempt for roguery as you imagine.

John Gay
I cannot raise my worth too high; Of what vast consequence am I! "Not of the importance you suppose," Replies a Flea upon his nose; "Be humble, learn thyself to scan; Know, pride was never made for man.

John Gay
And what's a Butterfly? At best, He's but a caterpillar, drest...

John Gay
But he who studies nature's laws From certain truth his maxims draws.

John Gay
To frame the little animal, provide All the gay hues that wait on female pride: Let Nature guide thee; sometimes golden wire The shining bellies of the fly require; The peacock's plumes thy tackle must not fail, Nor the dear purchase of the sable's tail.

John Gay
Some folks of cider make a rout
And cider's well enough no doubt
When better liquors fail;
But wine, that's richer, better still,
Ev'n wine itself (deny't who will)
Must yield to nappy ale

John Gay
From kings to cobblers 'tis the same; Bad servants wound their masters' fame.

John Gay
Music might tame and civilize wild beasts, but 'tis evident it never yet could tame and civilize musicians.

John Gay
The careful insect 'midst his works I view,
Now from the flowers exhaust the fragrant dew,
With golden treasures load his little thighs,
And steer his distant journey through the skies.

John Gay
What will not luxury taste? Earth, sea, and air, Are daily ransack'd for the bill of fare. Blood stuffed in skins is British Christians' food, And France robs marshes of the croaking brood.

John Gay
One common fate we both must prove; You die with envy, I with love.

John Gay
When if or chance or hunger's powerful sway Directs the roving trout this fatal way, He greedily sucks in the twining bait, And tugs and nibbles the fallacious meat. Now, happy fisherman; now twitch the line! How thy rod bends! behold, the prize is thine!

John Gay
Around the steel no tortur'd worm shall twine, No blood of living insect stain my line; Let me, less cruel, cast the feather'd hook, With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook, Silent along the mazy margin stray, And with the fur-wrought fly delude the prey.

John Gay
So comes a reck'ning when the banquet's o'er, The dreadful reckn'ning, and men smile no more.

John Gay
Of all mechanics, of all servile handycrafts-men, a gamester is the vilest. But yet, as many of the quality are of the profession, he is admitted amongst the politest company.

John Gay
What happiness the rural maid attends, In cheerful labour while each day she spends! She gratefully receives what Heav'n has sent, And, rich in poverty, enjoys content.

John Gay
What then in love can woman do? If we grow fond they shun us. And when we fly them, they pursue: But leave us when they've won us.

John Gay
Woman's mind Oft' shifts her passions, like th'inconstant wind; Sudden she rages, like the troubled main, Now sinks the storm, and all is calm again.

John Gay
Here Shock, the pride of all his kind, is laid, Who fawned like man, but ne'er like man betrayed.

John Gay
Gamesters and highwaymen are generally very good to their whores, but they are very devils to their wives.

John Gay