The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (142 page)

Douglass, Frederick
c.
1818–95

1
Every tone [of the songs of the slaves] was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
(1845) ch. 2

 
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Dow, Lorenzo
1777–1834

1
You will be damned if you do—And you will be damned if you don't.
on the Calvinist doctrine of "Particular Election"

Reflections on the Love of God
(1836) ch. 6

 
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Dowson, Ernest
1867–1900

1
I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind,
Flung roses, roses, riotously, with the throng,
Dancing, to put thy pale, lost lilies out of mind;
But I was desolate and sick of an old passion,
Yea, all the time, because the dance was long:
I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion.

"Non Sum Qualis Eram" (1896) (also known as "Cynara").

2
They are not long, the days of wine and roses.

"Vitae Summa Brevis" (1896)

 
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Doyle, Arthur Conan
1859–1930

1
It is quite a three-pipe problem.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
(1892) "The Red-Headed League"

2
The giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared.

The Case-Book of Sherlock Homes
(1927) "The Sussex Vampire"

3
"Excellent," I cried. "Elementary," said he.
often misquoted as, "Elementary, my dear Watson", a remark attributed to Sherlock Holmes, but not found in this form in any book by Arthur Conan Doyle, first found in P.G. Wodehouse Psmith Journalist (1915)

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
(1894) "The Crooked Man"

4
Ex-Professor Moriarty of mathematical celebrity…is the Napoleon of crime, Watson.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
(1894) "The Final Problem"

5
"Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"
"To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."
"The dog did nothing in the night-time."
"That was the curious incident," remarked Sherlock Holmes.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
(1894) "Silver Blaze"

6
What one man can invent another can discover.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes
(1905) "The Dancing Men"

7
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains,
however improbable
, must be the truth?

The Sign of Four
(1890) ch. 6

8
You know my methods. Apply them.

The Sign of Four
(1890) ch. 6

9
It is the unofficial force—the Baker Street irregulars.

The Sign of Four
(1890) ch. 8

 
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Drabble, Margaret
1939–

1
England's not a bad country…It's just a mean, cold, ugly, divided, tired, clapped-out, post-imperial, post-industrial slag-heap covered in polystyrene hamburger cartons.

A Natural Curiosity
(1989)

 
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Drake, Francis
c.
1540–96

1
The singeing of the King of Spain's Beard.
on the expedition to Cadiz, 1587

Francis Bacon
Considerations touching a War with Spain
(1629)

2
I must have the gentleman to haul and draw with the mariner, and the mariner with the gentleman…I would know him, that would refuse to set his hand to a rope, but I know there is not any such here.

J. S. Corbett
Drake and the Tudor Navy
(1898) vol. 1, ch. 9

3
There is plenty of time to win this game, and to thrash the Spaniards too.

attributed, in
Dictionary of National Biography
(1917–)

 
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