The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (297 page)

Marquis, Don
1878–1937

1
procrastination is the
art of keeping
up with yesterday.

archy and mehitabel
(1927) "certain maxims of archy"

2
it s cheerio
my deario that
pulls a lady through.

archy and mehitabel
(1927) "cheerio, my deario"

3
but wotthehell archy wotthehell
jamais triste archy jamais triste
that is my motto.

archy and mehitabel
(1927) "mehitabel sees paris"

4
did you ever
notice that when
a politician
does get an idea
he usually
gets it all wrong.

archys life of mehitabel
(1933) "archygrams"

5
Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.

E. Anthony
O Rare Don Marquis
(1962)

6
The art of newspaper paragraphing is to stroke a platitude until it purrs like an epigram.

E. Anthony
O Rare Don Marquis
(1962)

 
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Marriot, John
1780–1825

1
Thou, whose eternal Word
Chaos and darkness heard,
And took their flight,
Hear us, we humbly pray,
And, where the Gospel-day
Sheds not its glorious ray,
Let there be light!
"almighty" substituted for "eternal" from 1861

"Thou, whose eternal Word" (hymn written
c.
1813)

 
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Marryat, Frederick
1792–1848

1
If you please, ma'am, it was a very little one.
the nurse, excusing her illegitimate baby

Mr Midshipman Easy
(1836) ch. 3

2
All zeal…all zeal, Mr Easy.

Mr Midshipman Easy
(1836) ch. 9

 
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Marshall, Arthur
1910–89

1
What, knocked a tooth out? Never mind, dear, laugh it off, laugh it off; it's all part of life's rich pageant.

The Games Mistress
(recorded monologue, 1937)

 
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Marshall, John
1755–1835

1
The power to tax involves the power to destroy.

in
McCulloch v. Maryland
(1819)

2
The people made the Constitution, and the people can unmake it. It is the creature of their own will, and lives only by their will.

in
Cohens v. Virginia
(1821)

 
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Marshall, Thomas R.
1854–1925

1
What this country needs is a really good 5-cent cigar.

in
New York Tribune
4 January 1920, pt. 7

 
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