The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Preface

A tale should be judicious, clear, succinct;
The language plain, and incidents well linked;
Tell not as new what ev’ry body knows,
And new or old, still hasten to a close.
‘Conversation’ (1782) l. 235
The pipe with solemn interposing puff,
Makes half a sentence at a time enough;
The dozing sages drop the drowsy strain,
Then pause, and puff—and speak, and pause again.
‘Conversation’ (1781) l. 245
Pernicious weed! whose scent the fair annoys,
Unfriendly to society’s chief joys.
‘Conversation’ (1782) l. 251 (on tobacco)
His wit invites you by his looks to come,
But when you knock it never is at home.
‘Conversation’ (1782) l. 303
Thousands, careless of the damning sin,
Kiss the book’s outside who ne’er look within.
‘Expostulation’ (1782) l. 388 (on oath-taking)
The man that hails you Tom or Jack,
And proves by thumps upon your back
How he esteems your merit,
Is such a friend, that one had need
Be very much his friend indeed
To pardon or to bear it.
‘Friendship’ (1782) l. 169
Damned below Judas; more abhorred than he was.
‘Hatred and vengeance, my eternal portion’ (written c.1774)
Man disavows, and Deity disowns me.
‘Hatred and vengeance, my eternal portion’ (written c.1774)
Men deal with life, as children with their play,
Who first misuse, then cast their toys away.
‘Hope’ (1782) l. 127
Could he with reason murmur at his case,
Himself sole author of his own disgrace?
‘Hope’ (1782) l. 316
And differing judgements serve but to declare
That truth lies somewhere, if we knew but where.
‘Hope’ (1782) l. 423
John Gilpin was a citizen