Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

28 Mind-Blowing Quotes By Oliver Goldsmith That You Can’t Miss

Famous As: Anglo-Irish Novelist, Playwright, Dramatist and Poet
Born On: November 10, 1728
Died On: April 4, 1774
Born In: County Longford, Ireland
Died At Age: 45
Oliver Goldsmith was an Irish poet, novelist, playwright and dramatist. He started his writing career as a hack writer and did the jobs of reviewing, translating and compiling materials. His extraordinary writing talent reflected in his work and he was soon surrounded by people of the higher class like aristocrats and highly intellectual people. He started off with some minor works and went on to write for a famous magazine. He further came up with ‘The Hermit’, a romantic ballad, which was well received by the masses. This helped him gain economic stability but his notorious spendthrift nature buried him under heavy debts. To clear his debts, he went back to hack writing and translated and edited biographies and verse anthologies. A lot of what he wrote became quite popular as his quotes and is quoted widely. Presenting a compilation of thoughts and quotations by Oliver Goldsmith which have been curated from his plays, dialogues, poems, books, novels and writings.
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Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

Oliver Goldsmith
Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no fibs.

Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no fibs.

Oliver Goldsmith
I love everything that is old; old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines.

I love everything that is old; old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines.

Oliver Goldsmith
The first time I read an excellent book, it is to me just as if I had gained a new friend. When I read a book over I have perused before, it resembles the meeting with an old one.

The first time I read an excellent book, it is to me just as if I had gained a new friend. When I read a book over I have perused before, it resembles the meeting with an old one.

Oliver Goldsmith
You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.

You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.

Oliver Goldsmith
People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves to copy after

People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves to copy after

Oliver Goldsmith
Don't let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have so many real ones to encounter.

Don't let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have so many real ones to encounter.

Oliver Goldsmith
He who fights and runs away 
May live to fight another day; 
But he who is battle slain 
Can never rise to fight again

He who fights and runs away May live to fight another day; But he who is battle slain Can never rise to fight again

Oliver Goldsmith
Modesty seldom resides in a breast that is not enriched with nobler virtues.

Modesty seldom resides in a breast that is not enriched with nobler virtues.

Oliver Goldsmith
Conscience is a coward, and those faults it has not strength enough to prevent it seldom has justice enough to accuse.

Conscience is a coward, and those faults it has not strength enough to prevent it seldom has justice enough to accuse.

Oliver Goldsmith
Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey/Where wealth accumulates and men decay

Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey/Where wealth accumulates and men decay

Oliver Goldsmith
A great source of calamity lies in regret and anticipation; therefore a person is wise who thinks of the present alone, regardless of the past or future.

A great source of calamity lies in regret and anticipation; therefore a person is wise who thinks of the present alone, regardless of the past or future.

Oliver Goldsmith
Every absurdity has a champion to defend it.

Every absurdity has a champion to defend it.

Oliver Goldsmith
Politeness is the result of good sense and good nature.

Politeness is the result of good sense and good nature.

Oliver Goldsmith
He who fights and runs away
May live to fight another day...

He who fights and runs away May live to fight another day...

Oliver Goldsmith
…The more enormous our wealth, the more extensive our fears, all our possessions are paled up with new edicts every day, and hung round with gibbets to scare every invader.

…The more enormous our wealth, the more extensive our fears, all our possessions are paled up with new edicts every day, and hung round with gibbets to scare every invader.

Oliver Goldsmith
Law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law

Law grinds the poor, rich men rule the law

Oliver Goldsmith
Friendship is a disinterested commerce between equals; love an abject intercourse between tyrants and slaves.

Friendship is a disinterested commerce between equals; love an abject intercourse between tyrants and slaves.

Oliver Goldsmith
The nakedness of the indignant world may be cloathed from the trimmings of the vain.

The nakedness of the indignant world may be cloathed from the trimmings of the vain.

Oliver Goldsmith
A reserved lover, it is said, always makes a suspicious husband.

A reserved lover, it is said, always makes a suspicious husband.

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

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

Oliver Goldsmith
All is not gold that glitters,
Pleasure seems sweet, but proves a glass of bitters

All is not gold that glitters, Pleasure seems sweet, but proves a glass of bitters

Oliver Goldsmith
Where commerce and capitalism are invloved, often times, morality and honor sink to the bottom-Oliver Goldsmith paraphrased

Where commerce and capitalism are invloved, often times, morality and honor sink to the bottom-Oliver Goldsmith paraphrased

Oliver Goldsmith
I have known many of those pretended champions for liberty in my time, yet do I not remember one that was not in his heart and in his family a tyrant.

I have known many of those pretended champions for liberty in my time, yet do I not remember one that was not in his heart and in his family a tyrant.

Oliver Goldsmith
They may talk of a comet, or a burning mountain, or some such bagatelle; but to me a modest woman, dressed out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole creation.

They may talk of a comet, or a burning mountain, or some such bagatelle; but to me a modest woman, dressed out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole creation.

Oliver Goldsmith
What we place most hopes upon, generally proves most fatal.

What we place most hopes upon, generally proves most fatal.

Oliver Goldsmith
The beast retires to it's shelter, and the bird flies to it's nest; but the helpless man can only find refuge in his fellow creature.

The beast retires to it's shelter, and the bird flies to it's nest; but the helpless man can only find refuge in his fellow creature.

Oliver Goldsmith
Hope, like the gleaming taper’s light, adorns and cheers our way; and still, as darker grows the night, emits a brighter ray.

Hope, like the gleaming taper’s light, adorns and cheers our way; and still, as darker grows the night, emits a brighter ray.

Oliver Goldsmith