William Congreve Quotes - Page 3

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

  William Congreve

  Marriage, Men, Two

  'The Double Dealer' (1694) act 2, sc. 3

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• I came up stairs into the world, for I was born in a cellar.

  William Congreve

  World, Upstairs, Born

  'Love for Love' (1695) act 2, sc. 7

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• These articles subscribed, if I continue to endure you a little longer, I may by degrees dwindle into wife.

  William Congreve

  Wife, Degrees, May

  'The Way of the World' (1700) act 4, sc. 5

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• Who pleases one against his will.

  William Congreve

  Pleasure, Please

  "The Way of the World". Book by William Congreve, Epilogue, 1700.

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• Beauty is the lover's gift.

  William Congreve

  Beauty, Lovers

  'The Way of the World' (1700) act 2, sc. 4

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• I nauseate walking; 'tis a country diversion, I loathe the country.

  William Congreve

  Country, Diversion, Walking

  William. II Congreve William Wycherley (John Vanbrugh and Farquhar George), William. II Wycherley, William Congreve, George Farquhar, John Vanbrugh (1840). “Dramatic Works with Biographical and Critical Notices by Leigh Hunt. - London, Moxon 1840”, p.277

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• No, I'm no enemy to learning; it hurts not me.

  William Congreve

  Hurt, Enemy, It Hurts

  William. II Congreve William Wycherley (John Vanbrugh and Farquhar George), William. II Wycherley, William Congreve, George Farquhar, John Vanbrugh (1840). “Dramatic Works with Biographical and Critical Notices by Leigh Hunt. - London, Moxon 1840”, p.273

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• She once used me with that insolence, that in revenge I took her to pieces; sifted her, and separated her failings; I studied 'em, and got 'em by rote. The catalogue was so large, that I was not without hopes, one day or other to hate her heartily.

  William Congreve

  Revenge, Hate, One Day

  1700 The Way of the World, act 1, sc.3.

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• Thou art a retailer of phrases, and dost deal in remnants of remnants.

  William Congreve

  Art, Phrases, Remnants

  John Bell, Joseph Addison, Michael Arne, John Banks, John Brown (1796). “British Theatre: Bonduca”

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

  William Congreve

  Thinking

  'The Way of the World' (1700) act 4, sc. 12

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• 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.

  William Congreve

  Hate, Writing, Hair

  1700 The Way of the World, act 2, sc.5.

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

  William Congreve

  Lying, Thinking, Speak

  Mr. William Congreve, Edmund Smith (1720). “Love for Love”, p.51

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

  William Congreve

  Experience, Haste, Leisure

  'The Old Bachelor' (1693) act 5, sc. 8

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• Thus in this sad, but oh, too pleasing state! my soul can fix upon nothing but thee; thee it contemplates, admires, adores, nay depends on, trusts on you alone.

  William Congreve

  Soul, States, Thee

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• Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with those in verse.... I never pin up my hair with prose."

  William Congreve

  Hair, Poetry, Letters

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

  William Congreve

  Secret, Knows

  'Love for Love' (1695) act 3, sc. 3

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

  William Congreve

  Giving, Age, Invention

  William Congreve (1775). “The old batchelor. The double-dealer. Love for love. The mourning bride”, p.102

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• Hannibal was a very pretty fellow in those days.

  William Congreve

  Fellows

  William Congreve (1694). “The Old Batchelour ... The fourth edition, corrected”, p.11

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• Let us be very strange and well-bred:Let us be as strange as if we had been married a great while;And as well-bred as if we were not married at all.

  William Congreve

  Strange, Married, Wells

  'The Way of the World' (1700) act 4, sc. 5

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• Invention flags, his brain goes muddy,
  And black despair succeeds brown study.

  William Congreve

  Black, Brain, Despair

  "An Impossible Thing". Poem by William Congreve, 1720.

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• A woman only obliges a man to secrecy, that she may have the pleasure of telling herself.

  William Congreve

  Men, May, Pleasure

  Colley Cibber, Sir Richard Steele, George Farquhar, sir John Vanbrugh, William Congreve (1765). “THE ENGLISH THEATRE IN EIGHT VOLUMES: CONTAINING The Most Valuable PLAYS Which Have Been Acted on the LONDON STAGE.. INCONSTANT. By Mr. Farzuhar ; LOVE FOR LOVE. By Mr. Congreve ; LOVE MAKES A MAN. By C. Cibber, Esq. ; LYING LOVER. By Sir Rich. Steele ; PROVOKED WIFE. By Sir John Vanbrugh. VOL. V.”

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• 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.

  William Congreve

  Honor, Enemy, Half

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

  William Congreve

  Passion, Men, May

  William. II Congreve William Wycherley (John Vanbrugh and Farquhar George), William. II Wycherley, William Congreve, George Farquhar, John Vanbrugh (1840). “Dramatic Works with Biographical and Critical Notices by Leigh Hunt. - London, Moxon 1840”, p.208

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

  William Congreve

  Gossip, Together, Reputation

  'The Way of the World' (1700) act 1, sc. 1

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• Would any thing but a madman complain of uncertainty? Uncertainty and expectation are joys of life; security is an insipid thing; and the overtaking and possessing of a wish discovers the folly of the chase.

  William Congreve

  Expectations, Joy, Wish

  William. II Congreve William Wycherley (John Vanbrugh and Farquhar George), William. II Wycherley, William Congreve, George Farquhar, John Vanbrugh (1840). “Dramatic Works with Biographical and Critical Notices by Leigh Hunt. - London, Moxon 1840”, p.229

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