Jonathan Swift quotes

“Positiveness is a good quality for preachers and speakers because, whoever shares his thoughts with the public will convince them as he himself appears convinced.”

— Jonathan Swift

“The stoical scheme of supplying our wants by lopping off our desires, is like cutting off our feet when we want shoes.”

— Jonathan Swift

“The want of belief is a defect that ought to be concealed when it cannot be overcome.”

— Jonathan Swift

“There were many times my pants were so thin I could sit on a dime and tell if it was heads or tails.”

— Jonathan Swift

“We are so fond on one another because our ailments are the same.”

— Jonathan Swift

“What they do in heaven we are ignorant of; what they do not do we are told expressly.”

— Jonathan Swift

“Where I am not understood, it shall be concluded that something very useful and profound is couched underneath.”

— Jonathan Swift

“Where there are large powers with little ambition... nature may be said to have fallen short of her purposes.”

— Jonathan Swift