William Wycherley Quotes

Hunger, revenge, to sleep are petty foes, But only death the jealous eyes can close.

Necessity, mother of invention.

Poets, like whores, are only hated by each other.

Charity and good-nature give a sanction to the most common actions; and pride and ill-nature make our best virtues despicable.

Go to your business, pleasure, whilst I go to my pleasure, business.

Your women of honor, as you call 'em , are only chary of their reputations, not their persons, and 'tis scandal they would avoid, not men.

Good fellowship and friendship are lasting, rational and manly pleasures.

Wit has as few true judges as painting.

But methings wit is more necessary than beauty; and I think no young woman ugly that has it, and no handsome woman agreeable without it

Next to the pleasure of finding a new mistress is that of being rid of an old one.

Women serve but to keep a man from better company.

Money makes up in a measure all other wants in men.

Grief is so far from retrieving a loss that it makes it greater; but the way to lessen it is by a comparison with others' losses.

A mistress should be like a little country retreat near the town, not to dwell in constantly, but only for a night and away.

Poets, like friends to whom you are in debt, you hate.

He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.

Come, for my part I will have only those glorious, manly pleasures of being very drunk, and very slovenly.

I have heard people eat most heartily of another man's meat, that is, what they do not pay for.

A good name is seldom got by giving it oneself.

Marrying to increase love is like gaming to become rich; alas, you only lose what little stock you had before.

Mistresses are like books; if you pore upon them too much, they doze you and make you unfit for company; but if used discreetly, you are the fitter for conversation by em.

Conversation augments pleasure and diminishes pain by our having shares in either; for silent woes are greatest, as silent satisfaction leas; since sometimes our pleasure would be none but for telling of it, and our grief insupportable but for participation.

Ceremony and great professing renders friendship as much suspect as it does religion.

I weigh the man, not his title; 'tis not the king's stamp can make the metal better.

Thy books should, like thy friends, not many be/Yet such wherein men may thy judgment see.

Have as much good nature as good sense since they generally are companions.

Drinking with women is as unnatural as scolding with 'em.

Women of quality are so civil, you can hardly distinguish love from good breeding.

As wit is too hard for power in council, so power is too hard for wit in action.

A beauty masked, like the sun in eclipse, gathers together more gazers than if it shined out.