1728-1774, Anglo-Irish Author, Poet, Playwright
A great source of calamity lies in regret and anticipation; therefore a person is wise who thinks of the present alone, regardless of the past or future.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Regret]
A man who leaves home to mend himself and others is a philosopher; but he who goes from country to country, guided by the blind impulse of curiosity, is a vagabond.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Travel and Tourism]
A modest woman, dressed out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole creation.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Dress]
A traveler of taste will notice that the wise are polite all over the world, but the fool only at home.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Manners]
And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew, that one small head could carry all he knew.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Intelligence and Intellectuals]
As writers become more numerous, it is natural for readers to become more indolent; whence must necessarily arise a desire of attaining knowledge with the greatest possible ease.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Books and Reading]
But in his duty prompt at every call, he watched and wept, he prayed and felt for all.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Duty]
Ceremonies are different in every country, but true politeness is everywhere the same.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Manners]
Crime generally punishes itself.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Crime and Criminals]
Don't let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have so many real ones to encounter.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Morality]
Every absurdity has a champion to defend it; for error is always talkative.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Communication]
Fear guides more than gratitude.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Fear]
For he that fights and runs away, may live to fight another day, but he, who is in battle slain, can never rise and fight again.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Discretion]
Fortune is ever seen accompanying industry.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Fortune]
Friendship is a disinterested commerce between equals; love, an abject intercourse between tyrants and slaves.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Friends and Friendship]
Girls like to be played with, and rumpled a little too, sometimes.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Girls]
Good counsel rejected returns to enrich the givers bosom.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Counsel]
He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, for he knew when he pleased he could whistle them back.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Popularity]
Honor sinks where commerce long prevails.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Business]
I can't say whether we had more wit among us now than usual, but I am certain we had more laughing, which answered the end as well.
Oliver Goldsmith – [Alcohol and Alcoholism]