Page 460. John Bartlett, comp. 1919. Familiar Quotations, 10th ed.

Reference > Quotations > John Bartlett, comp. > Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. > Page 460

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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

Page 460

Sydney Smith. (1771–1845) (continued)

4856

We cultivate literature on a little oatmeal. 1

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 23.

4857

Truth is its [justice’s] handmaid, freedom is its child, peace is its companion, safety walks in its steps, victory follows in its train; it is the brightest emanation from the Gospel; it is the attribute of God.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 29.

4858

It is always right that a man should be able to render a reason for the faith that is within him.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 53.

4859

Avoid shame, but do not seek glory,—nothing so expensive as glory. 2

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 88.

4860

Let every man be occupied, and occupied in the highest employment of which his nature is capable, and die with the consciousness that he has done his best.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 130.

4861

Looked as if she had walked straight out of the ark.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 157.

4862

The Smiths never had any arms, and have invariably sealed their letters with their thumbs.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 244.

4863

Not body enough to cover his mind decently with; his intellect is improperly exposed.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 258.

4864

He has spent all his life in letting down empty buckets into empty wells; and he is frittering away his age in trying to draw them up again. 3

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 259.

4865

You find people ready enough to do the Samaritan, without the oil and twopence.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 261.

4866

Ah, you flavour everything; you are the vanilla of society.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 262.

4867

My living in Yorkshire was so far out of the way, that it was actually twelve miles from a lemon.

Lady Holland’s Memoir. Vol. i. p. 262.

Note 1.
Mr. Smith, with reference to the “Edinburgh Review,” says: “The motto I proposed for the ‘Review’ was ‘Tenui musam meditamur avena;’ but this was too near the truth to be admitted; so we took our present grave motto from Publius Syrus, of whom none of us had, I am sure, read a single line.” [back]

Note 2.
A favorite motto, which through life Mr. Smith inculcated on his family. [back]

Note 3.
See Cowper, Quotation 68. [back]

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