Jonathan Swift Quotes

Don't put too fine a point to your wit for fear it should get blunted.

Many live by their wits but few by their wit.

As in smooth oil the razor best is whet, So wit is by politeness sharpest set; Their want of edge from their offence is seen, Both pain us least when exquisitely keen.

After wisdom comes wit.

Someone would have to keep his wits, and he had assumed automatically that since Fezzik had so few, he would find retaining them not all that difficult.

Wit is an explosion of the compound spirit.

Wit must be foiled by wit: cut a diamond with a diamond.

My brain's not sharp enough to come up with a witty comment.

Wit gives an edge to sense, and recommends it extremely.

Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure.

Sense is our helmet, wit is but the plume; The plume exposes, 'tis our helmet saves. Sense is the diamond, weighty, solid, sound; When cut by wit, it casts a brighter beam; Yet, wit apart, it is a diamond still.

You're like a dull knife, it just ain't cutting.

He is winding the watch of his wit; by and by it will strike.

I have a good mind but I don't like to bore anyone with it.

The more wit the less courage.

If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness.

Brevity is the soul of wit.

A pin has as much head as some authors and a good deal more point.

If my edge is dull, my sword is dull, and I don't want to fight another guy whose sword is dull. If you've got two steel swords going back and forth hitting each other, what's gonna happen? Both of them are going to get sharper. Everybody that's in the industry has lost their edge.

There's a difference between having an edge and being stupid.

I'm quite sharp but not particularly academic.

Wit, to be well defined, must be defined by wit itself; then it will be worth listening to.

The quality of wit inspires more admiration than confidence

Wit,--the pupil of the soul's clear eye.

There is never a need to outrun anything you can outwit.