Frederick Marryat > Quotes

“They say that the British cannot fix anything properly without a dinner, but I’m sure the Americans can fix nothing without a drink. If you meet, you drink; if you part, you drink; if you make acquaintance, you drink; if you close a bargain, you drink; they quarrel in their drink, and they make it up with a drink. They drink, because it is hot; they drink, because it is cold. If successful in elections, they drink and rejoice; if not, they drink and swear;—they begin to drink early in the morning, they leave off late at night; they commence it early in life, and they continue it, until they soon drop into the grave. To use their own expression, the way they drink is "quite a caution." As for water, what the man said, when asked to belong to the Temperance Society, appears to be the general opinion: "it's very good for navigation.”
― Frederick Marryat, A Diary in America 6 Volume Set: With Remarks on its Institutions

“credulity and superstition are close friends”
― Frederick Marryat

“Horses, and all animals indeed, know that there is no place like home; it is a pity that men who consider themselves much wiser, have not the same consideration,”
― Frederick Marryat, The Children of the New Forest

“The squadron of men-of-war and transports was collected, the commodore’s flag hoisted, and the expedition sailed with most secret orders, which, as usual, were as well known to the enemy, and everybody in England, as they were to those by whom they were given. It is the characteristic of our nation, that we scorn to take any unfair advantage, or reap any benefit, by keeping our intentions a secret. We imitate the conduct of that English tar, who, having entered a fort, and meeting a Spanish officer without his sword, being providentially supplied with two cut-lasses himself, immediately offered him one, that they might engage on fair terms.

The idea is generous, but not wise. But I rather imagine that this want of secrecy arises from all matters of importance being arranged by cabinet councils. In the multitude of counsellors there may be wisdom, but there certainly is not secrecy. Twenty men have probably twenty wives, and it is therefore twenty to one but the secret transpires through that channel. Further, twenty men have twenty tongues; and much as we complain of women not keeping secrets, I suspect that men deserve the odium of the charge quite as much, if not more, than women do. On the whole, it is forty to one against secrecy, which, it must be acknowledged, are long odds.

On the arrival of the squadron at the point of attack, a few more days were thrown away,—probably upon the same generous principle of allowing the enemy sufficient time for preparation.”
― Frederick Marryat

“The wine was good, if the arguments were not, and we must take things as we find them in this world.”
― Frederick Marryat, Mr. Midshipman Easy

“Philosophy is said to console a man under disappointment, although Shakespeare asserts that it is no remedy for a toothache; so Mr Easy turned philosopher, the very best profession a man can take up who is fit for nothing else.”
― Frederick Marryat, Mr. Midshipman Easy

“My wisdom is for my friends, my folly for myself.”
― Frederick Marryat, Mr. Midshipman Easy

“Her life was solitary—but she had numerous resources within herself...”
― Frederick Marryat, The King's Own

“There is an old saying, that there is honour amongst thieves, and so it often proves.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Pirate

“To those who have been accustomed to the difficulties and dangers of a sea-faring life, there are no lines which speak more forcibly to the imagination, or prove the beauty and power of the Greek poet, than those in the noble prayer of Ajax:

"Lord of earth and air,
O king! O father! hear my humble prayer.
Dispel this cloud, that light of heaven restore;
Give me to see - and Ajax asks no more,
If Greece must perish - we Thy will obey;
But let us perish in the face of day!”
― Frederick Marryat, The Pirate

“There is a great difference between the world such as we fancy it when we are pining for it, and the world when we actually are placed within the vortex, and perceive the secret springs of men's actions.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Children of the New Forest

“The pen is a poor exchange for the long-barreled gun." "It does more execution, nevertheless,”
― Frederick Marryat, The Children of the New Forest

“—to wit, 'the sweat of the brow.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Children of the New Forest

“Women are riddles—I only argued upon the common sense of the thing.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Children of the New Forest

“here I am, after having been a warrior and a prince, cook, steward and everything else, boiling kettle for de young gentlemen.”
― Frederick Marryat, Mr. Midshipman Easy

“How many troops do we embark?' inquired Philip.

'Two hundred and forty-five rank and file, and six officers. Poor fellows! There are but few of them will ever return; nay, more than one-half will not see another birthday. It is a dreadful climate. I have landed three hundred men at that horrid hole, and in six months, even before I had sailed, there were not one hundred left alive.'

'It is almost murder to send them there,' observed Philip.

'Pshaw! They must die somewhere, and if they die a little sooner, what matter? Life is a commodity to be bought and sold like any other. We send out so much manufactured goods and so much money to barter for Indian commodities. We also send out so much life, and it gives a good return to the Company.'

'But not to the poor soldiers, I am afraid.'

'No; the Company buy it cheap and sell it dear,' replied the captain, who walked forward.

True, thought Philip, they do purchase human life cheap, and make a rare profit of it, for without these poor fellows how could they hold their possessions in spite of native and foreign enemies? For what a paltry and cheap annuity do these men sell their lives? For what a miserable pittance do they dare all the horrors of a most deadly climate, without a chance, a hope of return to their native land, where they might happily repair their exhausted energies, and take a new lease of life!”
― Frederick Marryat, The Phantom Ship

“I very sorry now, Missy Edith—but cat bite me," said Pablo. "Well, if pussy did, it didn't hurt you much; and what did I tell you this morning out of the Bible?—that you must forgive them who behave ill to you." "Yes, Missy Edith, you tell me all that, and so I do; I forgive pussy 'cause she bite me, but I kick her for it." "That's not forgiveness, is it, Edward? You should have forgiven it at once, and not kicked it at all." "Miss Edith, when pussy bite me, pussy hurt me, make me angry, and I give her a kick; then I think what you tell me, and I do as you tell me. I forgive pussy with all my heart.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Children of the New Forest

“To his house--to his house--down with it--death to the traitor!" and the loyal mob hastened on, each individual eager to be first to prove his loyalty, by helping himself to Mynheer Krause's goods and chattels.”
― Frederick Marryat, Snarleyyow or the Dog Fiend

“it is an old saying, that you must not work a willing horse to death.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Children of the New Forest

“Mr Witherington senior persuaded his son to enter the banking-house, and, as a dutiful son, he entered it every day; but he did nothing more, having made the fortunate discovery that "his father was born before him;" or, in other words, that his father had plenty of money, and would be necessitated to leave it behind him.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Pirate

“In the course of crime ... the descent is rapid.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Pirate

“... secrecy adds a charm to an amour ...”
― Frederick Marryat, The Pirate

“Come, my men! never say die while there's a shot in the locker.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Pirate

“Such was the fate of Mr Vanslyperken, who was now seized by the crowd, buffeted, and spit upon, and dragged to the parish pump, there being, fortunately for him, no horse-pond near. After having been well beaten, pelted with mud, his clothes torn off his back, his hat taken away and stamped upon, he was held under the pump and drenched for nearly half-an-hour, until he lay beneath the spout in a state of complete exhaustion”
― Frederick Marryat, Snarleyyow: Or, The Dog Fiend. An Historical Novel, Volume 1

“I must, indeed, have had a sorry taste to be intimate with a blotched wretch like you.”
― Frederick Marryat, Snarleyyow or the Dog Fiend

“Yes," replied Dick Short.”
― Frederick Marryat, Snarleyyow or the Dog Fiend

“Poor men ... always make love better than those who are rich, because, having less to care about, and not being puffed up with their own consequence, they are not so selfish and think much more of the lady than of themselves.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Pirate

“We know that we must one day die, but we always wish to forget it. The continual remembrance would be too great a check upon our mundane desires and wishes; and although we are told that we ever should have futurity in our thoughts, we find that life is not to be enjoyed if we are not permitted occasional forgetfulness.”
― Frederick Marryat, The Phantom Ship

“In Frederick Marryat's Mr. Midshipman Easy Jack's father, Mr. Easy, became a(n) ____________ as it was the very best profession a man can take up who is fit for nothing else. ”
― Frederick Marryat, Mr. Midshipman Easy

“And, as Vanslyperken recalled his misfortunes, so did his love increase for the animal who was the cause of them. Why so, we cannot tell, except that it has been so from the beginning, is so now, and always will be the case, for the best of all possible reasons--that it is human nature.”
― Frederick Marryat, Snarleyyow or the Dog Fiend