Frases de Oliver Goldsmith

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“Muitas vezes, o uso da palavra não é tanto para exprimir nossos pensamentos, quanto para escondê-los.”

“Mas no entanto (consegues acreditar?) eu tenho visto o próprio homem que se gaba da sua ternura, a devorar de uma só vez a carne de seis animais diferentes atirados para uma fricassé. Estranha contradição de conduta! Têm piedade, e comem os objectos da sua compaixão!”

“A virtude que se precisa vigiar o tempo inteiro só é digna da sentinela.”

“As leis inglesas punem as faltas; as leis chinesas fazem mais do que isso: recompensam os méritos.”

“Você prega um sermão melhor com sua vida do que com seus lábios.”

“Um livro pode ser agradável com muitas imperfeições, e fastidioso mesmo que não apresente um único defeito.”

“A adulação liga-se sempre à ambição; porque é de todas as paixões aquela a que a lisonja dá mais prazer.”

“As alegrias da riqueza são fugazes e não têm qualquer valor; e os que apreciam essas coisas valem menos ainda.”

“O silêncio tornou-se a sua língua materna.”

“A asneira é sempre faladora.”

“Não nos deixemos criar males imaginários, quando sabemos que temos tantos outros reais para enfrentar.”

“A vida tem sido comparada a uma corrida, mas esta alusão se aperfeiçoa se observarmos que os mais rápidos normalmente são os menos obedientes e os mais prováveis de perderem a direção.”

“A felicidade de nossa vida depende da serenidade da nossa consciência.”

“A virtude da mulher não vale a vigilância que exige.”

“In my time, the follies of the town crept slowly among us, but now they travel faster than a stagecoach.”

“But winter lingering chills the lap of May.”

“The land of scholars and the nurse of arms.”

“Creation's heir, the world, the world is mine!”

“Through torrid tracts with fainting steps they go,
Where wild Altama murmurs to their woe.”

“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.”

“And in that town a dog was found,
As many dogs there be,
Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound,
And curs of low degree.”

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

“Men may be very learned, and yet very miserable; it is easy to be a deep geometrician, or a sublime astronomer, but very difficult to be a good man. I esteem, therefore, the traveller who instructs the heart, but despise him who only indulges the imagination. 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 only a vagabond.”

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

“And, as a bird each fond endearment tries
To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies,
He tried each art, reproved each dull delay,
Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way.”

“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.”

“We are the boys
That fear no noise
Where the thundering cannons roar.”

“The very pink of perfection.”

“A modest woman, dressed out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole creation.”

“O Luxury! thou curst by Heaven's decree!”

“The dog, to gain some private ends,
Went mad, and bit the man.”

“The canvas glow'd beyond ev'n Nature warm,
The pregnant quarry teem'd with human form.”

“To men of other minds my fancy flies,
Embosomed in the deep where Holland lies.
Methinks her patient sons before me stand,
Where the broad ocean leans against the land.”

“We modest Gentlemen don't want for much success among the women.”

“A book may be very amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity.”

“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.”

“Here lies our good Edmund, whose genius was such,
We scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much;
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.”

“Where village statesmen talked with looks profound,
And news much older than their ale went round.”

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

“Oh sir! I must not tell my age.
They say women and music should never be dated.”

“I find you want me to furnish you with argument and intellects too.”

“To what happy accident is it that we owe so unexpected a visit?”

“A man he was to all the country dear,
And passing rich with forty pounds a year.”