Quotes by British Authors | Beyond Motive

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Quotes by British Authors

"Conquer we shall, but, we must first contend! It's not the fight that crowns us, but the end."

"Conquer we shall, but, we must first contend! It's not the fight that crowns us, but the end."

Robert Herrick, British Poet

End, Fight, First

160

"Taught from infancy that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison."

"Taught from infancy that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison."

Mary Wollstonecraft, British Writer

Beauty, Body, Mind, Prison

85

"The appalling thing is the degree of charity women are capable of. You see it all the time... love lavished on absolute fools. Love's a charity ward, you know."

"The appalling thing is the degree of charity women are capable of. You see it all the time... love lavished on absolute fools. Love's a charity ward, you know."

Lawrence Durrell, British Writer

Love, Women, Time, Charity

74

"People ask 'do you make a conscious effort not to swear?' - if you're doing silly stuff you're not tempted to put swearing in. All the comics from my childhood, who were funny without swearing, were the people that influenced me. What I do is quite traditional anyway."

"People ask 'do you make a conscious effort not to swear?' - if you're doing silly stuff you're not tempted to put swearing in. All the comics from my childhood, who were funny without swearing, were the people that influenced me. What I do is quite traditional anyway."

Tim Vine, British Comedian

Funny, People, Childhood, Effort

73

"One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes."

"One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes."

Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman

Motivational, Life, Success, Opportunity, Man

67

"The passage of time is simply an illusion created by our brains."

"The passage of time is simply an illusion created by our brains."

Julian Barbour, British Scientist

54

"Strengthen the female mind by enlarging it, and there will be an end to blind obedience."

"Strengthen the female mind by enlarging it, and there will be an end to blind obedience."

Mary Wollstonecraft, British Writer

Gender, Blind, End, Mind, Obedience

52

"American troops have not only occupied Ulster but are arriving in increasing numbers in England."

"American troops have not only occupied Ulster but are arriving in increasing numbers in England."

John Amery, British Politician

American, England, Numbers, Troops

52

"Without Hitler, the State of Israel probably would not exist today. To that extent he was probably the Jews' greatest friend."

"Without Hitler, the State of Israel probably would not exist today. To that extent he was probably the Jews' greatest friend."

David Irving, British Author

Friendship, Friend, Israel, State, Today

51

"To know ourselves, is agreed by all to be the most useful Learning; the first Lessons, therefore, given us ought to be on that Subject."

"To know ourselves, is agreed by all to be the most useful Learning; the first Lessons, therefore, given us ought to be on that Subject."

Eliza Haywood, British Novelist

Learning, First

50

"Despair is the damp of hell, as joy is the serenity of heaven."

"Despair is the damp of hell, as joy is the serenity of heaven."

John Donne, British Poet

Despair, Heaven, Hell, Joy

48

"I love this country, I love these people, though I can't say I love their politicians. People are always nicer than politicians, but here, you can mark that difference up a hundredfold."

"I love this country, I love these people, though I can't say I love their politicians. People are always nicer than politicians, but here, you can mark that difference up a hundredfold."

Paddy Ashdown, British Politician

Love, People, Country, Difference

46

"If we lose the war in the air we lose the war and we lose it quickly."

"If we lose the war in the air we lose the war and we lose it quickly."

Bernard Law Montgomery, British Soldier

45

"I work with the options I have in front of me and my reasons for choosing a job can vary enormously depending on the circumstances. Sometimes I take a job because it's a group of people I'm dying to work with, and sometimes it can be a desire to shake things up a bit and not to take myself too seriously."

"I work with the options I have in front of me and my reasons for choosing a job can vary enormously depending on the circumstances. Sometimes I take a job because it's a group of people I'm dying to work with, and sometimes it can be a desire to shake things up a bit and not to take myself too seriously."

Colin Firth, British Actor

Work, People, Circumstances, Desire

43

"Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so."

"Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so."

Bertrand Russell, British Philosopher

41

"They can certainly expect to be very impressed with the technical aspects of the show, fooled and led up the garden path by the story and ultimately have a jolly good laugh!"

"They can certainly expect to be very impressed with the technical aspects of the show, fooled and led up the garden path by the story and ultimately have a jolly good laugh!"

Louise Jameson, British Actress

Gardening, Garden

41

"I believe in benevolent dictatorship provided I am the dictator."

"I believe in benevolent dictatorship provided I am the dictator."

Richard Branson, British Businessman

Leadership, Dictatorship

40

"To me, it's all about opening all the doors and getting people to be not only prolific, but creative and having control of their music."

"To me, it's all about opening all the doors and getting people to be not only prolific, but creative and having control of their music."

Eric Brown, British Writer

Music, People, Control

38

"It is a fool's prerogative to utter truths that no one else will speak."

"It is a fool's prerogative to utter truths that no one else will speak."

Neil Gaiman, British Author

38

"I really like the Observer. I think I'd love to have a column with a broad reach that would enable me to do some proper reporting, but keep it on sort of a humorous level. I've always had a very happy experience writing for them."

"I really like the Observer. I think I'd love to have a column with a broad reach that would enable me to do some proper reporting, but keep it on sort of a humorous level. I've always had a very happy experience writing for them."

Toby Young, British Journalist

Love, Experience, Writing

38

"However much we may sympathize with a small nation confronted by a big and powerful neighbours, we cannot in all circumstances undertake to involve the whole British Empire in a war simply on her account."

"However much we may sympathize with a small nation confronted by a big and powerful neighbours, we cannot in all circumstances undertake to involve the whole British Empire in a war simply on her account."

Neville Chamberlain, British Politician

War, Circumstances, May, Nation

36

"I've made an odd discovery. Every time I talk to a savant I feel quite sure that happiness is no longer a possibility. Yet when I talk with my gardener, I'm convinced of the opposite."

"I've made an odd discovery. Every time I talk to a savant I feel quite sure that happiness is no longer a possibility. Yet when I talk with my gardener, I'm convinced of the opposite."

Bertrand Russell, British Philosopher

Happiness, Time, Possibility, Discovery

36

"A mixture of admiration and pity is one of the surest recipes for affection."

"A mixture of admiration and pity is one of the surest recipes for affection."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

Admiration, Affection, Pity

36

"Gossip is the Devil's radio."

"Gossip is the Devil's radio."

George Harrison, British Musician

36

"The Bristol Channel was always my guide, and I was always able to draw an imaginary line from my bed to our house over in Wales. It was a great comfort."

"The Bristol Channel was always my guide, and I was always able to draw an imaginary line from my bed to our house over in Wales. It was a great comfort."

Roald Dahl, British Novelist

Childhood, Bed, Comfort

36

"The very idea of true patriotism is lost, and the term has been prostituted to the very worst of purposes. A patriot, sir! Why, patriots spring up like mushrooms!"

"The very idea of true patriotism is lost, and the term has been prostituted to the very worst of purposes. A patriot, sir! Why, patriots spring up like mushrooms!"

Robert Walpole, British Statesman

Patriotism, Idea, Spring

36

"Time is everything; five minutes make the difference between victory and defeat."

"Time is everything; five minutes make the difference between victory and defeat."

Horatio Nelson, British Soldier

Time, Victory, Defeat, Difference

36

"Humor is the first of the gifts to perish in a foreign tongue."

"Humor is the first of the gifts to perish in a foreign tongue."

Virginia Woolf, British Author

Humor, First, Gifts, Tongue

35

"Books do furnish a room."

"Books do furnish a room."

Anthony Powell, British Novelist

35

"Be yourself, take control of your life."

"Be yourself, take control of your life."

Emma Bunton, British Musician

35

"Discrimination against Jews can be read in Thomas Aquinas, and insults against Jews in Martin Luther."

"Discrimination against Jews can be read in Thomas Aquinas, and insults against Jews in Martin Luther."

Lionel Blue, British Clergyman

Discrimination, Insults, Martin

35

"It is a curious thing, but I have been right in everything I have done and said in my life."

"It is a curious thing, but I have been right in everything I have done and said in my life."

Lord Mountbatten, British Soldier

35

"When a language creates as it does a community within the present, it does so only by courtesy of a community between the present and the past."

"When a language creates as it does a community within the present, it does so only by courtesy of a community between the present and the past."

Christopher Ricks, British Critic

Community, Courtesy, Language, Past

35

"A mind lively and at ease, can do with seeing nothing, and can see nothing that does not answer."

"A mind lively and at ease, can do with seeing nothing, and can see nothing that does not answer."

Jane Austen, British Writer

35

"Now being upon the haunches (as he necessarily must be in this case) is it impossible but he must be light in hand, because no horse can be rightly upon his haunches without being so."

"Now being upon the haunches (as he necessarily must be in this case) is it impossible but he must be light in hand, because no horse can be rightly upon his haunches without being so."

William Cavendish, British Civil Servant

Being, Light, Now

35

"The logic of Palladian architecture presented an aesthetic formula which could be applied universally."

"The logic of Palladian architecture presented an aesthetic formula which could be applied universally."

Stephen Gardiner, British Architect

Architecture, Formula, Logic

35

"In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible."

"In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible."

George Orwell, British Author

Time, Defense, Speech, Writing

34

"I did not fully understand the dread term 'terminal illness' until I saw Heathrow for myself."

"I did not fully understand the dread term 'terminal illness' until I saw Heathrow for myself."

Dennis Potter, British Dramatist

34

"Ilike ideas writers have that I might not have written. Writers are there for a reason... to write for me."

"Ilike ideas writers have that I might not have written. Writers are there for a reason... to write for me."

Tim Roth, British Actor

Ideas, Reason, Writers

33

"Unintelligent people always look for a scapegoat."

"Unintelligent people always look for a scapegoat."

Ernest Bevin, British Public Servant

32

"The three most important things a man has are, briefly, his private parts, his money, and his religious opinions."

"The three most important things a man has are, briefly, his private parts, his money, and his religious opinions."

Samuel Butler, British Poet

Money, Man, Opinions, Religious

32

"Television? The word is half Greek, half Latin. No good can come of it."

"Television? The word is half Greek, half Latin. No good can come of it."

C. P. Scott, British Journalist

Television, Word

32

"A sitcom isn't usually the right tool for satire."

"A sitcom isn't usually the right tool for satire."

Chris Morris, British Critic

31

"In 1947 I married Rowena Palmer, and we have two daughters, Alison and Claire, and a son, John."

"In 1947 I married Rowena Palmer, and we have two daughters, Alison and Claire, and a son, John."

Martin Ryle, British Scientist

31

"England expects that every man will do his duty."

"England expects that every man will do his duty."

Horatio Nelson, British Soldier

Duty, England, Man, Will

30

"Conservatism discards Prescription, shrinks from Principle, disavows Progress; having rejected all respect for antiquity, it offers no redress for the present, and makes no preparation for the future."

"Conservatism discards Prescription, shrinks from Principle, disavows Progress; having rejected all respect for antiquity, it offers no redress for the present, and makes no preparation for the future."

Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman

Politics, Progress, Conservatism, Future, Preparation

30

"The curtains would open and it would be just her standing in some ludicrous pose, like Aphrodite."

"The curtains would open and it would be just her standing in some ludicrous pose, like Aphrodite."

Lesley-Anne Down, British Actress

29

"Post-modernism is modernism with the optimism taken out."

"Post-modernism is modernism with the optimism taken out."

Robert Hewison, British Historian

29

"Tears are sometimes an inappropriate response to death. When a life has been lived completely honestly, completely successfully, or just completely, the correct response to death's perfect punctuation mark is a smile."

"Tears are sometimes an inappropriate response to death. When a life has been lived completely honestly, completely successfully, or just completely, the correct response to death's perfect punctuation mark is a smile."

Julie Burchill, British Journalist

Life, Death, Smile, Tears

29

"I can establish the expectation of retributive justice. Have we done that? No."

"I can establish the expectation of retributive justice. Have we done that? No."

Paddy Ashdown, British Politician

Expectation, Justice

28

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