John Gay Quotes

108 Sourced Quotes

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
Good housewives all the winter's rage despise, Defended by the riding-hood's disguise; Or, underneath the umbrella's oily shade, Safe through the wet on clinking pattens tread, Let Persian dames the unbrella's ribs display, To guard their beauties from the sunny ray; Or sweating slaves support the shady load, When eastern monarchs show their state abroad; Britain in winter only knows its aid, To guard from chilling showers the walking maid.

John Gay
Shall ignorance of good and ill Dare to direct the eternal will? Seek virtue, and of that possest, To Providence resign the rest.

John Gay
Lions, wolves, and vultures don't live together in herds, droves or flocks. Of all animals of prey, man is the only sociable one. Every one of us preys upon his neighbor, and yet we herd together.

John Gay
Look round, the wrecks of play behold; Estates dismember'd, mortgaged, sold! Their owners now to jails confin'd, Show equal poverty of mind.

John Gay
The sun was set; the night came on apace, And falling dews bewet around the place; The bat takes airy rounds on leathern wings, And the hoarse owl his woeful dirges sings.

John Gay
The Lion is (beyond dispute) Allow'd the most majestic brute; His valor and his gen'rous mind Prove him superior of his kind.

John Gay
Variety's the source of joy below, From whence still fresh-revolving pleasures flow, In books and love the mind one end pursues, And only change the expiring flames renews.

John Gay
Fair is the kingcup that in meadow blows, Fair is the daisy that beside her grows.

John Gay