Quotes from Aphra Behn

Nothing shows the wit so poor, as wonder, nor birth so mean, as pride.

As we were coming up again, we met with some Indians of strange aspects, that is, of a larger size, and other sort of features, than those of our country. Our Indian slaves, that rowed us, asked them some questions, but they could not understand us, but showed us a long cotton string, with several knots on it, and told us, they had been coming from the mountains so many moons as there were knots.

And 'tis most evident and plain that simple Nature is the most harmless, inoffensive, and virtuous mistress. 'Tis she alone, if she were permitted, that better instructs the world than all the inventions of man. Religion would here but destroy that tranquillity they possess by ignorance; and laws would but teach 'em to know offense, of which now they have no notion.

That perfect tranquility of life, which is nowhere to be found but in retreat, a faithful friend and a good library.

There is no sinner like a young saint.

Money speaks sense in a language all nations understand.

A poet is a painter in his way, he draws to the life, but in another kind; we draw the nobler part, the soul and the mind; the pictures of the pen shall outlast those of the pencil, and even worlds themselves.

Variety is the soul of pleasure.

Where there is no novelty, there can be no curiosity.

Love, like reputation, once fled, never returns more.

Each moment of a happy love's hour is worth an age of dull and common life.

Here lies a Proof that Wit can never be Defence enough against Mortality

But time lessens all extremes, & reduces them to mediums & unconcern.

Possessed with a thousand thoughts of past joys

You may make love in dancing as well as sitting.

As love is the most noble and divine passion of the soul, so is it that to which we may justly attribute all the real satisfactions of life, and without it, man is unfinished, and unhappy.

He made her vows she should be the only woman he would possess while he lived; that no age or wrinkles should incline him to change; for her soul would be always fine, and always young; and he should have an eternal idea in his mind of the charms she now bore; and should look into his heart for that idea, when he could find it no longer in her face.

This old dead hero had one only daughter left of his race; a beauty that, to describe her truly, one need say only, she was female to the noble male; the beautiful black Venus to our young Mars; as charming in her person as he, and of delicate virtues. I have seen an hundred white men sighing after her, and making a thousand vows at her feet, all vain, and unsuccessful; and she was, indeed, too great for any, but a prince of her own nation to adore.

No friend to Love like a long voyage at sea.

Willmore: There is no sinner like a young saint.

He knew almost as much as if he had read much.

And did with sighs their fate deplore, Since I must shelter them no more; And if before my joys were such, In having heard, and seen too much, My grief must be as great and high, When all abandoned I shall be, Doomed to a silent destiny.

For thou hast made a very fiend of me, and I have hell within.

A woman's passion is like the tide, it stays for no man when the hour is come.