Colley Cibber Quotes:

Tea! thou soft, sober, sage and venerable liquid;- thou female tongue-running, smile-smoothing, heart-opening, wink-tippling cordial, to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest moment of my life, let me fall prostrate.

source: - Colley Cibber (1777). “The Dramatic Works of Colley Cibber ...: In Five Volumes : Volume the Second”, p.211

Topics: Running, Fall, Food, Coffee And Tea, Tea Coffee

Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good manners.

source: - Colley Cibber, Charles Bathurst (1777). “Love's last shift; Woman's wit; Love makes a man; She would and she would not”, p.49

Topics: Good Man, Screw You, Compass, Good Manners

Old houses mended, Cost little less than new before they're ended.

source: - Colley Cibber (1761). “The double gallant: or, The sick lady's cure”, p.7

Topics: Party, House, Cost, Old Houses, Housework

Losers must have leave to speak.

source: - Colley Cibber (1760). “The careless husband; The rival fools; The lady's last stake; Richard III”, p.102

Topics: Loss, Loser, Speak

I've lately had two spiders Crawling upon my startled hopes-- Now though thy friendly hand has brushed 'em from me, Yet still they crawl offensive to mine eyes: I would have some kind friend to tread upon 'em.

Topics: Eye, Hands, Two, Crawling

Stolen sweets are best.

source: - 'The Rival Fools' (1709) act 1, sc. 1

Topics: Sweet, Stolen

Words are but empty thanks.

source: - Colley Cibber (2001). “The Plays of Colley Cibber”, p.226, Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press

Topics: Thanks, Empty

Wit is the most rascally, contemptible, beggarly thing on the face of the earth.

Topics: Earth, Faces, Wit

The aspiring youth that fired the Ephesian domeOutlives in fame the pious fool that rais'd it.

Topics: Ephesians, Fool, Youth

The wretch that fears to drown, will break through flames; Or, in his dread of flames, will plunge in waves. When eagles are in view, the screaming doves Will cower beneath the feet of man for safety.

Topics: Fear, Men, Eagles

Who fears t' offend takes the first step to please.

source: - Colley Cibber, Charles Bathurst (1777). “The refusal; The provoked husband; Love in a riddle; Perolla and Izadora; Rival queans”, p.238

Topics: Firsts, Steps, Please

When we are conscious of the least comparative merit in ourselves, we should take as much care to conceal the value we set upon it, as if it were a real defect; to be elated or vain upon it is showing your money before people in want.

source: - Colley Cibber (1830). “An Apology for the Life of Mr. Colley Cibber, Comedian”, p.27

Topics: Real, Vanity, People

Oh, say! what is that thing call'd light, Which I must ne'er enjoy? What are the blessings of the sight? Oh, tell your poor blind boy!

source: - Colley Cibber, “The Blind Boy”

Topics: Blessing, Boys, Light

Faint is the bliss, that never past thro' pain.

source: - Colley Cibber (1754). “The Dramatick Works of Colley Cibber, Esq; ... in Four Volumes. ...”

Topics: Pain, Past, Bliss

The happy have whole days,

Topics: Happy

So mourn'd the dame of Ephesus her love.

source: - Colley Cibber (1700). “The Tragical History of King Richard III.: As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal. By C. Cibber”, p.11

Topics: Life, Love Life, Dames

What have I done? What horrid crime committed? To me the worst of crimes-outliv'd my liking.

source: - Colley Cibber (1760). “The careless husband; The rival fools; The lady's last stake; Richard III”, p.334

Topics: Life, Done, Crime

Banish that fear; my flame can never waste, For love sincere refines upon the taste.

source: - Joseph Addison, Robert Jephson, David Garrick, George Farquhar, Colley Cibber (1815). “Cato. A Tragedy”

Topics: Life, Flames, Taste

You know, one had as good be out of the world, as out of the fashion.

source: - 'Love's Last Shift' (1696) act 2

Topics: Fashion, World

Oh! How many torments lie in the small circle of a wedding ring.

source: - 'The Double Gallant' (1707) act 1, sc. 2

Topics: Marriage, Wedding, Lying, Wedding Ring

We shall find no fiend in hell can match the fury of a disappointed woman; scorned, slighted, dismissed without a parting pang.

source: - Colley Cibber (1725). “Love's Last Shift; or, the Fool in fashion. A comedy, etc”, p.49

Topics: Anger, Hell, Fury, Slighted, Scorned

The happy have whole days, and those they choose. The unhappy have but hours, and those they lose.

source: - Colley Cibber (1777). “The double gallant; Ximena; the comical lovers; The non-juror”, p.83

Topics: Happiness, Unhappy, Hours

A weak invention of the Enemy.

source: - Colley Cibber (1700). “The Tragical History of King Richard III.: As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal. By C. Cibber”, p.53

Topics: Enemy, Weak, Invention

Possession is eleven points in the law.

source: - Colley Cibber, Charles Bathurst (1777). “Love's last shift; Woman's wit; Love makes a man; She would and she would not”, p.121

Topics: Law, Eleven, Possession

Then let not what I cannot have My cheer of mind destroy. Whilst thus I sing, I am a king, Although a poor blind boy!

source: - Colley Cibber, “The Blind Boy”

Topics: Cheer, Boys, Mind

The happy have whole days.

source: - Colley Cibber, Charles Bathurst (1777). “The double gallant; Ximena; the comical lovers; The non-juror”, p.83

Topics: Happy, Whole