William Congreve Quotes

Marriage indeed may qualify the fury of his passion, but it very rarely mends a man's manners.

I hope you do not think me prone to any iteration of nuptials.

Guilt is ever at a loss, and confusion waits upon it; when innocence and bold truth are always ready for expression.

I know that’s a secret, for it’s whispered everywhere.

One minute gives invention to destroy; What to rebuild, will a whole age employ.

They come together like the Coroner's Inquest, to sit upon the murdered reputations of the week.

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.

Though marriage makes man and wife one flesh, it leaves 'em still two fools.

I always take blushing either for a sign of guilt, or of ill breeding.

Some by experience find those words mis-placed: At leisure married, they repent in haste.

Blessings ever wait on virtuous deeds, and though a late, a sure reward succeeds.

O, nothing is more alluring than a levee from a couch in some confusion.

To converse with Scandal is to play at Losing Loadum, you must lose a good name to him, before you can win it for yourself.

Marriage is honourable, as you say; and if so, wherefore should Cuckoldom be a Discredit, being deriv'd from so honourable a Root?

Men are apt to offend ('tis true) where they find most goodness to forgive.

All well bred persons lie - Besides, you are a woman; you must never speak what you think.

He that first cries out stop thief, is often he that has stolen the treasure.

Honor is a public enemy, and conscience a domestic, and he that would secure his pleasure, must pay a tribute to one and go halves with t'other.

O ay, letters - I had letters - I am persecuted with letters - I hate letters - nobody knows how to write letters; and yet one has 'em, one does not know why - they serve one to pin up one's hair.

Words are the weak support of cold indifference; love has no language to be heard.

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.

Love's but a frailty of the mind, When 'tis not with ambition joined.

I am always of the opinion with the learned, if they speak first.

I know a lady that loves to talk so incessantly, she won't give an echo fair play; she has that everlasting rotation of tongue that an echo must wait till she dies before it can catch her last words!

Who pleases one against his will.

I am a fool, I know it; and yet, Heaven help me, I'm poor enough to be a wit.

You'll grow devilish fat upon this paper-diet!

Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.

Heav'n has no rage like love to hatred turn'd Nor Hell a fury like a woman scorn'd.

Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing and the overtaking and possessing of a wish discovers the folly of the chase.

Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.

There is in true beauty, as in courage, something which narrow souls cannot dare to admire.

Fear comes from uncertainty. When we are absolutely certain whether of our worth or worthlessness we are almost impervious to fear.

Defer not till tomorrow to be wise tomorrow's sun to thee may never rise.

I know that's a secret for it's whispered everywhere.

Poetry the eldest sister of all arts and parent of most.

Thus grief still treads upon the heels of pleasure Marry'd in hast we may repent at leisure.

In my conscience I believe the baggage loves me for she never speaks well of me herself nor suffers anybody else to rail at me.