I believe no satirist could breathe this air. If another…

I believe no satirist could breathe this air. If another Juvenal or Swift could rise up among us tomorrow, he would be hunted down. If you have any knowledge of our literature, and can give me the name of any man, American born and bred, who has anatomised our follies as a people, and not as this or that party; and who has escaped the foulest and most brutal slander, the most inveterate hatred and intolerant pursuit; it will be a strange name in my ears, believe me.

Quotes

Chapter 16.

Other Martin Chuzzlewit Quotes

Buy an annuity cheap, and make your life interesting to yourself and everybody else that watches the speculation. - View Quote Details on Buy an annuity cheap, and make your life interesting to…
Let us be moral. Let us contemplate existence. - View Quote Details on Let us be moral. Let us contemplate existence.
Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration. - View Quote Details on Home is a name, a word, it is a strong…
Dollars! All their cares, hopes, joys, affections, virtues, and associations seemed to be melted down into dollars. Whatever the chance contributions that fell into the slow cauldron of their talk, they made the gruel thick and slab with dollars. Men were weighed by their dollars, measures were gauged by their dollars; life was auctioneered, appraised, put up, and knocked down for its dollars. The next respectable thing to dollars was any venture having their attainment for its end. The more of that worthless ballast, honour and fair-dealing, which any man cast overboard from the ship of his Good Nature and Good Intent, the more ample stowage-room he had for dollars. Make commerce one huge lie and mighty theft. Deface the banner of the nation for an idle rag; pollute it star by star; and cut out stripe by stripe as from the arm of a degraded soldier. Do anything for dollars! What is a flag to them! - View Quote Details on Dollars! All their cares, hopes, joys, affections, virtues, and associations…
Any man may be in good spirits and good temper when he’s well dressed. There an’t much credit in that. If I was very ragged and very jolly, then I should begin to feel I had gained a point, Mr Pinch. - View Quote Details on Any man may be in good spirits and good temper…
Here’s the rule for bargains — ‘Do other men, for they would do you.’ That’s the true business precept. - View Quote Details on Here’s the rule for bargains — ‘Do other men, for…
Firstly, that it may be safely asserted, and yet without implying any direct participation in the Manboddo doctrine touching the probability of the human race having once been monkeys, that men do play very strange and extraordinary tricks. Secondly, and yet without trenching on the Blumenbach theory as to the descendants of Adam having a vast number of qualities which belong more particularly to swine than to any other class of animals in the creation, that some men certainly are remarkable for taking uncommon good care of themselves. - View Quote Details on Firstly, that it may be safely asserted, and yet without…
Regrets,” said Martin, “are the natural property of grey hairs; and I enjoy, in common with all other men, at least my share of such inheritance. - View Quote Details on Regrets,” said Martin, “are the natural property of grey hairs;…
What is exaggeration to one class of minds and perceptions, is plain truth to another. That which is commonly called a long–sight, perceives in a prospect innumerable features and bearings non–existent to a short–sighted person. I sometimes ask myself whether there may occasionally be a difference of this kind between some writers and some readers; whether it is ALWAYS the writer who colours highly, or whether it is now and then the reader whose eye for colour is a little dull? - View Quote Details on What is exaggeration to one class of minds and perceptions,…
“Do not repine, my friends,” said Mr. Pecksniff, tenderly. “Do not weep for me. It is chronic.” And with these words, after making a futile attempt to pull off his shoes, he fell into the fireplace. - View Quote Details on “Do not repine, my friends,” said Mr. Pecksniff, tenderly. “Do…