18th Century Literature Quotes

“Endless is the search of truth.”
― Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

“We lose the right of complaining sometimes by forbearing it”
― Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

“I had no Inclination to be a Wife again, I had had such bad Luck with my first Husband, I hated the Thoughts of it; I found, that a Wife is with Indifference, a Mistress with a strong Passion; a Wife is look’d upon, as but an Upper-Servant, a Mistress is a Sovereign; a Wife must give up all she has; have every Reserve she makes for herself, be thought hard of, and be upbraided with her very Pin-Money; whereas a Mistress makes the Saying true, that what the man has, is hers, and what she has, is her own; the Wife bears a thousand Insults, and is forc’d to sit still and bear it, or part and be undone; a Mistress insulted, helps herself immediately, and takes another.”
― Daniel Defoe

“As this letter effected no change in Maria's intentions, marriage proved, as it frequently does, the grave of female friendship.”
― Jane West

“Fear no fear, Princess Sophie, because I will always be there to help you and your life.”
― Akshat Pathak, Sophie, I am happy...

“You, Madam, have Beauty to charm them all into Silence; a Look, a smile will disarm their Malice, and a Frown awe the whole Sex.”
― Penelope Aubin, The Noble Slaves

“Although Time's heavy hand thy form may bow,
And leaving Earth's low cares, be fix'd on high
Thy graver thought, youth's every energy
Forgets not in thy boundless heart to glow:”
― Barbarina Brand

“Each thing called improvement seems blackened with crimes,
If it tears up one record of blissful old times.”
― Susanna Blamire