Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
Keeping distance can make someone more interested or attracted.
In plain terms
If you push men away, they stay interested instead of losing interest.
What can you take from it?
Playing hard to get can sustain attraction.

Where it applies

  • courtship
  • dating games
  • romantic pursuit

Putting it to work

  • managing attraction
  • understanding pursuit

Questions to consider

  • Does distance create desire?
  • Is interest maintained by pushing away?

Another view

It suggests manipulation is necessary for interest.

More from John Gay

  1. Can you support the expense of a husband, hussy, in gaming, drinking and whoring? Have you money enough to carry on the daily quarrels of man and wife about wh…

    Permalink to quote #19
  2. Were I laid on Greenland's Coast, And in my Arms embrac'd my Lass; Warm amidst eternal Frost, Too soon the Half Year's Night would pass.

    Permalink to quote #21
  3. Do you think your Mother and I should have liv'd comfortably so long together, if ever we had been married?

    Permalink to quote #18

Related quotes

  1. For some unknown reason, bad-boys draw you in despite the fact that they are jerks.

    Alexis BledelAlexis Bledel quote #6
  2. There's a million fine looking women in the world, dude, but not all of them bring you lasagna at work. Most of them just cheat on you.

    Kevin SmithKevin Smith quote #7
  3. It's hard to find a good man, but it's good to find a hard one.

    Mae WestMae West quote #19