"The best-humour'd man, with the worst-humour'd Muse."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"How blest is he who crowns in shades like these A youth of labour with an age of ease!"

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"O Luxury! thou curst by Heaven's decree!"

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The man recovered of the bite, The dog it was that died."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Such is the patriot's boast, where'er we roam,-- His first, best country ever is at home."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Alike all ages. Dames of ancient days Have led their children through the mirthful maze, And the gay grandsire, skill'd in gestic lore, Has frisk'd beneath the burden of threescore."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Some fleeting good, that mocks me with the view."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Her modest looks the cottage might adorn, Sweet as the primrose peeps beneath the thorn."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Such dainties to them, their health it might hurt; It 's like sending them ruffles when wanting a shirt."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The genteel thing is the genteel thing any time, if as be that a gentleman bees in a concatenation accordingly."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The dog, to gain his private ends, Went mad, and bit the man."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Hope, like the gleaming taper's light, Adorns and cheers our way; And still, as darker grows the night, Emits a brighter ray."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Well had the boding tremblers learn'd to trace The day's disasters in his morning face; Full well they laugh'd with counterfeited glee At all his jokes, for many a joke had he; Full well the busy whisper circling round Convey'd the dismal tidings when he frown'd. Yet was he kind, or if severe in aught, The love he bore to learning was in fault; The village all declar'd how much he knew, 'T was certain he could write and cipher too."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Who mix'd reason with pleasure, and wisdom with mirth: If he had any faults, he has left us in doubt."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"But winter lingering chills the lap of May."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"As aromatic plants bestow No spicy fragrance while they grow; But crush'd or trodden to the ground, Diffuse their balmy sweets around."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"And e'en while fashion's brightest arts decoy, The heart distrusting asks if this be joy."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade, For talking age and whispering lovers made."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The bashful virgin's sidelong looks of love."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"This same philosophy is a good horse in the stable, but an arrant jade on a journey."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"In all the silent manliness of grief."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form, Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm,-- Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, Eternal sunshine settles on its head."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay. Princes and lords may flourish or may fade,-- A breath can make them, as a breath has made; But a bold peasantry, their country's pride, When once destroy'd, can never be supplied."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"I love everything that 's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wine."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Even children follow'd with endearing wile, And pluck'd his gown, to share the good man's smile."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"For just experience tells, in every soil, That those that think must govern those that toil."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Our Garrick 's a salad; for in him we see Oil, vinegar, sugar, and saltness agree!"

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The whitewash'd wall, the nicely sanded floor, The varnish'd clock that click'd behind the door; The chest, contriv'd a double debt to pay,-- A bed by night, a chest of drawers by day."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"In arguing too, the parson own'd his skill, For e'en though vanquish'd he could argue still; While words of learned length and thundering sound Amaz'd the gazing rustics rang'd around; And still they gaz'd, and still the wonder grew That one small head could carry all he knew."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"They please, are pleas'd; they give to get esteem, Till seeming blest, they grow to what they seem."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Wept o'er his wounds, or tales of sorrow done, Shoulder'd his crutch, and shew'd how fields were won."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Remote, unfriended, melancholy, slow, Or by the lazy Scheld or wandering Po."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Who pepper'd the highest was surest to please."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Man seems the only growth that dwindles here."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Who, born for the universe, narrow'd his mind, And to party gave up what was meant for mankind; Though fraught with all learning, yet straining his throat To persuade Tommy Townshend to lend him a vote. Who too deep for his hearers still went on refining, And thought of convincing while they thought of dining: Though equal to all things, for all things unfit; Too nice for a statesman, too proud for a wit."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"When they talk'd of their Raphaels, Correggios, and stuff, He shifted his trumpet and only took snuff."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Pride in their port, defiance in their eye, I see the lords of humankind pass by."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, For he knew when he pleas'd he could whistle them back."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Measures, not men, have always been my mark."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Forc'd from their homes, a melancholy train, To traverse climes beyond the western main; Where wild Oswego spreads her swamps around, And Niagara stuns with thundering sound."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Good people all, with one accord, Lament for Madam Blaize, Who never wanted a good word From those who spoke her praise."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"And learn the luxury of doing good."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Luke's iron crown, and Damien's bed of steel."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The twelve good rules, the royal game of goose."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"As a wit, if not first, in the very first line."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Creation's heir, the world, the world is mine!"

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The only art her guilt to cover, To hide her shame from every eye, To give repentance to her lover, And wring his bosom, is--to die."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"They would talk of nothing but high life, and high-lived company, with other fashionable topics, such as pictures, taste, Shakespeare, and the musical glasses."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain