Who said this Swiftian quote?

June 1, 2009 3:25 PM

"How can you say I am not a success? I have not been eaten and I have not failed to eat" (or words to that effect). Trying to find the source of this quote. I was thinking maybe Jonathan Swift, but my google-fu is failing me.
posted by telstar to religion & philosophy (5 comments total)

"How can they say my life is not a success? Have I not for more than sixty years got enough to eat and escaped being eaten?"

-Logan Pearsall Smith
posted by Flunkie at 3:47 PM on June 1 [7 favorites has favorites]

Beautiful. This is why I love AskMe. Thanks!
posted by telstar at 3:53 PM on June 1

The page of Logan Pearsall Smith's quotes is a treasure in itself, y'all.
posted by telstar at 4:01 PM on June 1

Thanks for this question- I'd never heard any of these, I don't think.
posted by small_ruminant at 4:54 PM on June 1

This is fantastic. Lord love a whimsical misanthrope!
posted by Navelgazer at 6:52 PM on June 1