Jonathan Swift: Good

Jonathan Swift was Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, and poet. Explore interesting quotes on good.

Jonathan Swift: 282 quotes6 likes

“I love good creditable acquaintance; I love to be the worst of the company.”

Journal to Stella (May 17, 1711)

“…one enemy can do more hurt, than ten friends can do good.”

Journal to Stella (30 June, 1711)

“Politics, as the word is commonly understood, are nothing but corruptions, and consequently of no use to a good king or a good ministry; for which reason Courts are so overrun with politics.”

Thoughts on Various Subjects from Miscellanies (1711-1726)

“Good manners is the art of making those people easy with whom we converse. Whoever makes the fewest persons uneasy is the best bred in the company.”

Jonathan Swift book A Treatise on Good Manners and Good Breeding

A Treatise on Good Manners and Good Breeding (1754, published posthumously)

“I have one word to say upon the subject of profound writers, who are grown very numerous of late; and I know very well the judicious world is resolved to list me in that number. I conceive therefore, as to the business of being profound, that it is with writers as with wells - a person with good eyes may see to the bottom of the deepest, provided any water be there: and often when there is nothing in the world at the bottom besides dryness and dirt, though it be but a yard and a-half under-ground, it shall pass, however, for wondrous deep upon no wiser reason than because it is wondrous dark”

Jonathan Swift book A Tale of a Tub

A Tale of a Tub (1704)

“Positiveness is a good quality for preachers and orators, because he that would obtrude his thoughts and reasons upon a multitude, will convince others the more, as he appears convinced himself.”

Thoughts on Various Subjects from Miscellanies (1711-1726)

“A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends; and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter.”

Jonathan Swift book A Modest Proposal

A Modest Proposal (1729)

“Better belly burst than good liquor be lost.”

Earlier proverb, quoted in James Howell's English Proverbs (1659)
Better belly burst than good drink lost.
Polite Conversation (1738), Dialogue 2

“The sight of you is good for sore eyes.”

Polite Conversation (1738), Dialogue 1