Jonathan Swift was an essayist, cleric, writer of political pamphlets for major political parties, author, poet and one of the most influential satirists of all time. Swift was born in an influential family and after acquiring his B. A. from Trinity College at Dublin University, he worked as the secretary of an English diplomat. However, it was as a writer and satirist that he became famous. Swift’s first work was the short satire ‘The Battle of the Books’ but it was published some years after it was actually written. Some of his most famous works were published in the early part of the 18th century and these include ‘A Modest Proposal’, ‘An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity’, ‘A Tale of a Tub’ and ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ among others. ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ is perhaps his most popular work. Swift was a pioneer of satire and his specific style gave rise to a particular kind of satire that came to be known as ‘Swiftian’. Needless to say, Swift was a man of rare gifts and his razor sharp humour shone through in the satirical works that he had done. Here are some of the best quotes from his life and works.
When a great genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
[Thoughts on Various Subjects]
I cannot but conclude that the Bulk of your Natives, to be the most pernicious Race of little odious Vermin that Nature ever suffered to crawl upon the Surface of the Earth.
That was excellently observed’, say I, when I read a passage in an author, where his opinion agrees with mine. When we differ, there I pronounce him to be mistaken.
Difference in opinions has cost many millions of lives: for instance, whether flesh be bread, or bread be flesh; whether the juice of a certain berry be blood or wine.
Jonathan Swift
The latter part of a wise person's life is occupied with curing the follies, prejudices and false opinions they contracted earlier.
This made me reflect, how vain an attempt it is for a man to endeavor to do himself honor among those who are out of all degree of equality or comparison with him.
Opium is not so stupefying to many persons as an afternoon sermon.
Jonathan Swift
...I hid myself between two leaves of sorrel, and there discharged the necessities of nature.
Jonathan Swift
Of so little weight are the greatest services to princes, when put into the balance with a refusal to gratify their passions.
Jonathan Swift
Gulliver describes a royal personage inspiring awe among the tiny Lilliputians because he was taller than his brethren by the breadth of a human fingernail.
Jonathan Swift
As love without esteem is capricious and volatile; esteem without love is languid and cold.
That the universe was formed by a fortuitous concourse of atoms, I will no more believe than that the accidental jumbling of the alphabet would fall into a most ingenious treatise of philosophy.
For to enter the palace of learning at the great gate requires an expense of time and forms, therefore men of much haste and little ceremony are content to get in by the back-door.
Based on Gulliver's descriptions of their behaviour, the King describes Europeans as "the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.
Jonathan Swift
Undoubtedly philosophers are in the right, when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than by comparison.
Jonathan Swift
There's none so blind as they that won't see.
Jonathan Swift
Truth shines the brighter clad in verse.
Jonathan Swift
Books, like men their authors, have no more than one way of coming into the world, but there are ten thousand to go out of it, and return no more.
For they have no conception how a rational creature can be compelled, but only advised, or exhorted; because no person can disobey reason, without giving up his claim to be a rational creature.
Jonathan Swift
But he may please to consider, that the caprices of womankind are not limited by any climate or nation; and that they are much more uniform than can be easily imagined.
How vain an attempt it is for a man to endeavour to do himself honour among those who are out of all degree of equality or comparison with him.
Jonathan Swift
Readers may be divided into three classes - the superficial, the ignorant, and the learned, and I have with much felicity fitted my pen to the genius and advantage of each.
Many hundred large volumes have been published upon this controversy: but the books of the Big-endians have been long forbidden, and the whole party rendered incapable by law of holding employments.
Jonathan Swift
So that, upon the whole, there must be some kind of subjection due from every man to every man, which cannot be made void by any power, pre-eminence, or authority whatsoever.
Jonathan Swift
Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own.
Their education is of little consequence to the public; but the old and diseased among them are supported by hospitals: for begging is a trade unknown in this Empire
Jonathan Swift
Let that be as it will, thus much is certain, that, however spiritual intrigues begin, they generally conclude like all others; they may branch upward toward heaven, but the root is in the earth.
Swift has sailed into his rest;
Savage indignation there
Cannot lacerate his Breast.
Imitate him if you dare,
World-Besotted Traveler; he
Served human liberty.
