Even among the promethean literary figures of the early eighteenth century, Swift stood like a colossus. Neither the clarity and vigour of his prose nor the sharpness of his wit has been surpassed. More than any other writer in the English language, he made irony and satire respectable and formidable. This selection of sayings reveals Swift as a stern and effective moralist, but also as a kindlier and more humorous observer of the human condition than has sometimes been allowed.
