William Congreve - The Double Dealer (1694)

11 Sourced Quotes

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It is the business of a comic poet to paint the vices and follies of human kind.

William Congreve
Retired to their tea and scandal, according to their ancient custom.

William Congreve
There is nothing more unbecoming a man of quality than to laugh; Jesu, 'tis such a vulgar expression of the passion!

William Congreve
Though marriage makes man and wife one flesh, it leaves 'em still two fools.

William Congreve
Now will I, in my old way, discover the whole and real truth of the matter to him, that he may not suspect one word on't.

William Congreve
No mask like open truth to cover lies,
As to go naked is the best disguise.

William Congreve
There are times when sense may be unseasonable, as well as truth.

William Congreve
Words are the weak support of cold indifference; love has no language to be heard.

William Congreve
Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression.

William Congreve
Turn pimp, flatterer, quack, lawyer, parson, be chaplain to an atheist, or stallion to an old woman, anything but a poet; for a poet is worse, more servile, timorous and fawning than any I have named.

William Congreve
To converse with Scandal is to play at Losing Loadum, you must lose a good name to him, before you can win it for yourself.

William Congreve