"When a man of genius appears in..." - Quote by Jonathan Swift
When a man of genius appears in the world, it is immediately recognized by the fact that all the blockheads join forces against him.
More by Jonathan Swift
“Some men, under the notion of weeding out prejudice, eradicate virtue, honesty and religion.”
“Lose no time to contradict her, Nor endeavor to convict her; Only take this rule along, Always to advise her wrong, And reprove her when she's right; She may then grow wise for spite.”
“It often happens that, if a lie be believed only for an hour, it has done its work, and there is no further occasion for it.”
More on Genius
“Preparation is - if not the key to genius - then at least the key to sounding like a genius.”
“Every thought which genius and piety throw into the world alters the world.”
“Genius is its own reward; for the best that one is, one must necessarily be for oneself. . . . Further, genius consists in the working of the free intellect., and as a consequence the productions of genius serve no useful purpose. The work of genius may be music, philosophy, painting, or poetry; it is nothing for use or profit. To be useless and unprofitable is one of the characteristics of genius; it is their patent of nobility.”
More on Opposition
“I am not anti-English, I am not anti-British, I am not anti-any Government, but I am anti-untruth, anti-humbug and anti-injustice.”
“The more opposition there is, the better. Does a river acquire velocity unless there is resistance? The newer and better a thing is, the more opposition I will meet with at the outset. It is opposition which foretells success. Where there is no opposition there is no success either.”
“You and your opponent are one. There is a coexisting relationship between you. You coexist with your opponent and become his complement, absorbing his attack and using his force to overcome him.”