166 Quotes by William Congreve

Women are like tricks by sleight of hand, Which, to admire, we should not understand

To find a young fellow that is neither a wit in his own eye, nor a fool in the eye of the world, is a very hard task.

But say what you will, 'tis better to be left than never to have been loved. To pass our youth in dull indifference, to refuse the sweets of life because they once must leave us, is as preposterous as to wish to have been born old, because we one day must be old.

If this be not love, it is madness, and then it is pardonable.

A woman only obliges a man to secrecy, that she may have the pleasure of telling herself.

A wit should be no more sincere than a woman constant.

There are come Critics so with Spleen diseased,They scarcely come inclining to be pleased:And sure he must have more than mortal Skill,Who please one against his Will.

Where modesty's ill manners, 'tis but fitThat impudence and malice pass for wit.

Yes, but tenderness becomes me best - a sort of dyingness - you see that picture has a sort of a - ha, Foible? A swimmingness in the eyes.