Samuel Richardson Quotes

Such a kittenish disposition in her, I called it; for it is not so much the love of power that predominates in her mind, as the love of playfulness: And when the fit is upon her, she regards not whether it is a China cup, or a cork, that she pats and tosses about: But her sport will certainly be the death of Lord G’s happiness.

She boasted much of their reputation. Her mother would not do an ill thing, she said, for the world: And she had a brother who had a place in the Customhouse, and was as honest a man, tho’ she said it, as any in it. She owned that she knew my new vile servant; and praised his fidelity to the masters he had served, in such high terms, as if she thought all duties were comprised in that one, of obeying his principal, right or wrong. Mr. William, she said, was a pretty man, a genteel man, and she believed he was worth money; and she was sure would make an excellent husband. I soon found that the simple girl was in love with this vile, this specious fellow.

Is not friendship the basis of my Love?

do not easily dislike, Sir; but then I do not easily like. And I never will marry any man, to whom I cannot be more than indifferent.

Upon my word, I believe, you men think, it is no matter for us women to have any consciences, so as we do but study your wills, and do our duty by you. Men look upon themselves as gods of the earth, and on us women but as their ministring servants! — But I did not expect that you would be so unreasonable.

How can palsied age, which is but a terrifying object to youth, expect the indulgence, the love, of the young and gay, if it does not study to promote those pleasures which itself was fond of in youth? Enjoy innocently your season, girls, once said she, setting half a score of us into country dances. I watch for the failure of my memory; and shall never give it over for quite lost, till I forget what were my own innocent wishes and delights in the days of my youth.

Only, my dear Love, my Harriet, the support of my life, and comfort of my evil days, endeavour, for my sake, and for the sake of us all, to restrain so far your laudable inclination, as that, if it be not your happy lot to give us, as well as yourself, so desirable a blessing, you may not suffer in your health (an health so precious to me) and put yourself on a soot with vulgar girls run away with by their headstrong passions. The more desirable the object, the nobler the conquest of your passion, if it is to be overcome.

let me read over again that fearful letter of yours, that I may get it by heart, and with it feed my distress, and make calamity familiar to me.

But I have no patience with you, sinner as you are against light, and better knowlege! and derider of the infirmities, not of old maids, but of old age! — Don’t you hope to live long, yourself?

He affected to say some things, that, tho’ trite, were sententious, and carried with them the air of observation. There is some degree of merit in having such a memory, as will help a person to repeat and apply other mens wit with some tolerable propriety. But when he attempted to walk alone, he said things that it was impossible a man of common sense could say.

Nor do I take all learning to consist in the knowlege of languages. All learning! — Nor I, madam — But if you place not learning in language, be so good as to tell us what do you place it in? He nodded his head with an air, as if he had said, This pretty Miss is got out of her depth. I believe I shall have her now. I would rather, Sir, said I, be an hearer than a speaker; and the one would better become me than the other. I answered Sir Hargrave, because he thought proper to apply to me. And I, madam, apply to you likewise. Then, Sir, I have been taught to think, that a learned man and a linguist may very well be two persons: In other words, That science, or knowlege, and not language merely, is learning.

Ma è certo, questo ve lo devo confessare, che non potrò mai pensare a nessun altro al mondo se non a lui! Presunzione! direte voi; e questo è. Ma l'amore, immagino, non è una cosa volontaria -l'amore, ho detto! Ma andiamo, io non spero: perlomeno non è, spero, andato così lontano da mettermi molto a disagio: poiché io non so come è venuto, né quando è iniziato, ma mi si è insinuato addosso strisciando, strisciando, come un ladro, e prima che sapessi di che si trattava, aveva l'aspetto dell'amore.

Poor and rich, wise and unwise, we are all links of the same great chain.

O the unparalleled wickedness, stratagems, and devices, of those who call themselves gentlemen, yet pervert the design of Providence, in giving them ample means to do good, to their own everlasting perdition, and the ruin of poor oppressed innocence!

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