Richard Brinsley Sheridan Quotes

There is no trusting appearances.

Rowley: I believe there is no sentiment he has more faith in as that ‘Charity begins at home’.Sir Oliver Surface: And his I presume is of that domestic sort which never stirs abroad at all.

An unforgiving eye, and a damned disinheriting countenance!

Here’s to the maiden of bashful fifteen
Here’s to the widow of fifty
Here’s to the flaunting, extravagant queen;
And here’s to the housewife that’s thrifty.
Let the toast pass—
Drink to the lass—
I’ll warrant she’ll prove an excuse for the glass!

I’m called away by particular business—but I leave my character behind me.

Mrs Candour: I’ll swear her colour is natural—I have seen it come and go—Lady Teazle: I dare swear you have, ma’am; it goes of a night and comes again in the morning.

You shall see them on a beautiful quarto page where a neat rivulet of text shall meander through a meadow of margin.

My valour is certainly going!—it is sneaking off!—I feel it oozing out as it were at the palms of my hands!

The quarrel is a very pretty quarrel as it stands—we should only spoil it by trying to explain it.

No caparisons, Miss, if you please!—Caparisons don’t become a young woman.

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

She’s as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile.

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

An aspersion upon my parts of speech!

’Tis safest in matrimony to begin with a little aversion. He is the very pineapple of politeness!