Richard Brinsley Sheridan Quotes

81 Sourced Quotes

If I reprehend anything in this world, it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs!

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The newspapers! Sir, they are the most villainous — licentious — abominable — infernal — Not that I ever read them — no — I make it a rule never to look into a newspaper.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Had I a heart for falsehood framed,
I ne'er could injure you.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
While his off-heel, insidiously aside,
Provokes the caper which he seems to chide.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Our ancestors are very good kind of folks; but they are the last people I should choose to have a visiting acquaintance with.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Here is the whole set! a character dead at every word.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Believe not each accusing tongue,
As most weak persons do;
But still believe that story wrong,
Which ought not to be true!

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
No caparisons, Miss, if you please!—Caparisons don't become a young woman.
Mrs Malaprop speaking

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Sheer necessity,—the proper parent of an art so nearly allied to invention.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
When delicate and feeling souls are separated, there is not a feature in the sky, not a movement of the elements, not an aspiration of the breeze, but hints some cause for a lover's apprehension.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
As there are three of us come on purpose for the game, you won't be so cantankerous as to spoil the party by sitting out.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
As the Drury Lane Theater manager, drinking a glass of wine in a nearby cafeteria, while the theater burned down:
A man may surely be allowed to take a glass of wine by his own fireside.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
An unforgiving eye, and a damned disinheriting countenance.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
You write with ease, to show your breeding,
But easy writing's vile hard reading.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
You are not like Cerberus, three gentlemen at once, are you?

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Mrs. Malaprop: Illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
If I reprehend any thing in this world, it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs!

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Through all the drama — whether damned or not —
Love gilds the scene, and women guide the plot.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
O Lord, Sir—when a heroine goes mad she always goes into white satin.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Nay, but Jack, such eyes! such eyes! so innocently wild! so bashfully irresolute! Not a glance but speaks and kindles some thought of love! Then, Jack, her cheeks! her cheeks, Jack! so deeply blushing at the insinuations of her tell-tale eyes! Then, Jack, her lips! O, Jack, lips smiling at their own discretion! and, if not smiling, more sweetly pouting - more lovely in sullenness! Then, Jack, her neck! O, Jack, Jack!

Richard Brinsley Sheridan
I ne'er could any luster see
In eyes that would not look on me.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan