Top 15 Samuel Butler Quotes

With books and money plac'd for show
Like nest-eggs to make clients lay,
And for his false opinion pay.

He that complies against his will.
Is of his own opinion still.

For those that fly may fight again,
Which he can never do that's slain.

We idly sit, like stupid blockheads, Our hands committed to our pockets, And nothing but our tongues at large, To get the wretches a discharge: Like men condemn'd to thunder-bolts, Who, ere the blow, become mere dolts; Or fools besotted with their crimes, That know not how to shift betimes, And neither have the hearts to stay, Nor wit enough to run away.

But still his tongue ran on, the less
Of weight it bore, with greater ease.

True as the dial to the sun,
Although it be not shin'd upon.

With crosses, relics, crucifixes,
Beads, pictures, rosaries, and pixes,—
The tools of working our salvation
By mere mechanic operation.

Nick Machiavel had ne'er a trick,
Though he gave his name to our Old Nick.

'Cause grace and virtue are within
Prohibited degrees of kin;
And therefore no true saint allows
They shall be suffer'd to espouse.

The hollow-hearted, disaffected, And close malignant are detected ; Who lay their lives and fortunes down, For pledges to secure our own.

What makes all doctrines plain and clear?
About two hundred pounds a year.
And that which was prov'd true before
Prove false again? Two hundred more.

Still amorous and fond and billing,
Like Philip and Mary on a shilling.

As men of inward light are wont
To turn their optics in upon 't.

But Hudibras gave him a twitch
As quick as lightning in the breech,
Just in the place where honour's lodg'd,
As wise philosophers have judg'd;
Because a kick in that part more
Hurts honour than deep wounds before.

There 's but the twinkling of a star
Between a man of peace and war.