Sydney Smith Quotes

"Heat, ma'am!" I said; "it was so dreadful here, that I found there was nothing left for it but to take off my flesh and sit in my bones."

The truth is, that most men want knowledge, not for itself, but for the superiority which knowledge confers; and the means they employ to secure this superiority, are as wrong as the ultimate object, for no man can ever end with being superior, who will not begin with being inferior.

It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little.

He not only overflowed with learning but stood in the slops.

Live always in the best company when you read.

You remember Thurlow's answer to some one complaining of the injustice of a company. "Why, you never expected justice from a company, did you? they have neither a soul to lose, nor a body to kick."

The fact is that in order to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand shivering on the bank thinking of the cold and the danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.

Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea.

Ah, you flavour everything; you are the vanilla of society.

I have, alas, only one illusion left, and that is the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Praise is the best diet for us, after all.

A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men whose timidity prevented them from making a first effort.

No furniture is so charming as books, even if you never open them or read a single word.

It is the greatest of all mistakes, to do nothing because you can only do little...

It is true that every increase of knowledge may possibly render depravity more depraved, as well as it may increase the strength of virtue. It is in itself only power; and its value depends on its application.