Over 40,000 Famous Quotes Sorted By Topic and Author

Why should we fear; and what? The laws? They all are armed in virtue's cause; And aiming at the self-same end, Satire is always virtue's friend.

Unless a love of virtue light the flame, Satire is, more than those he brands, to blame; He hides behind a magisterial air He own offences, and strips others' bare.

The artist, like the God of the creation, remains within or behind or beyond or above his handiwork, invisible, refined out of existence, indifferent, paring his fingernails.

It is difficult not to write satire.

Satire is what closes Saturday night.

Men are more satirical from vanity than from malice.

Satire should, like a polished razor keen, Wound with a touch that's scarcely felt or seen. Thine is an oyster knife, that hacks and hews; The rage but not the talent to abuse.

I wear my Pen as others do their Sword. To each affronting sot I meet, the word Is Satisfaction: straight to thrusts I go, And pointed satire runs him through and through.

Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, And without sneering teach the rest to sneer; Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike, Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike; Alike reserv'd to blame, or to commend, A tim'rous foe, and a suspicious friend.

Satire or sense, alas! Can Sporus feel? Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?

There are, to whom my satire seems too bold; Scarce to wise Peter complaisant enough, And something said of Chartres much too rough.

Satire's my weapon, but I'm too discreet To run amuck and tilt at all I meet.

It is a pretty mocking of the life.

Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own.

Satire lies about literary men while they live and eulogy lies about them when they die.