The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (324 page)
Read The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Online
Authors: Elizabeth Knowles
1567–1601
O, tis a precious apothegmatical Pedant, who will find matter enough to dilate a whole day of the first invention of
Fy, fa, fum
, I smell the blood of an English-man.
Have with you to Saffron-walden
(1596).
Brightness falls from the air;
Queens have died young and fair;
Dust hath closed Helen's eye.
I am sick, I must die.
Lord have mercy on us.
Summer's Last Will and Testament
(1600) l. 1590
From winter, plague and pestilence, good lord, deliver us!
Summer's Last Will and Testament
(1600) l. 1878
1860–1945
King David and King Solomon
Led merry, merry lives,
With many, many lady friends,
And many, many wives;
But when old age crept over them—
With many, many qualms!—
King Solomon wrote the Proverbs
And King David wrote the Psalms.
"King David and King Solomon" (1935)
1818–66
All glory, laud, and honour
To thee, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
"All glory, laud, and honour" (1851 hymn)
Good King Wenceslas looked out,
On the feast of Stephen;
When the snow lay round about,
Deep and crisp and even.
"Good King Wenceslas"
Jerusalem the golden,
With milk and honey blessed.
"Jerusalem the golden" (1858 hymn); translated from the Latin of St Bernard of Cluny (b.
c.
1100)
1889–1964
At the stroke of the midnight hour, while the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.
immediately prior to Independence
speech to the Indian Constituent Assembly, 14 August 1947
The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere.
following Gandhi's assassination
broadcast, 30 January 1948; Richard J. Walsh
Nehru on Gandhi
(1948) ch. 6
There is no easy walk-over to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow again and again before we reach the mountain-tops of our desire.
"From Lucknow to Tripuri" (1939)
1883–1973
If we have to have an exam at 11, let us make it one for humour, sincerity, imagination, character—and where is the examiner who could test such qualities.
letter to
Daily Telegraph
1957
1758–1805
I have only one eye,—I have a right to be blind sometimes…I really do not see the signal!
at the battle of Copenhagen, 1801
Robert Southey
Life of Nelson
(1813) ch. 7
When I came to explain to them the
"Nelson touch"
, it was like an electric shock.
letter to Lady Hamilton, 1 October 1805
England expects that every man will do his duty.
at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805
Robert Southey
Life of Nelson
(1813) ch. 9
This is too warm work, Hardy, to last long.
at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805
Robert Southey
Life of Nelson
(1813) ch. 9
Thank God, I have done my duty.
at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805
Robert Southey
Life of Nelson
(1813) ch. 9
Kiss me, Hardy.
at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805
Robert Southey
Life of Nelson
(1813) ch. 9