The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (430 page)
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Authors: Elizabeth Knowles
1925–
No woman in my time will be Prime Minister or Chancellor or Foreign Secretary—not the top jobs. Anyway I wouldn't want to be Prime Minister. You have to give yourself 100%.
on her appointment as Shadow Education Spokesman
in
Sunday Telegraph
26 October 1969
In politics if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.
in
People
(New York) 15 September 1975
I stand before you tonight in my red chiffon evening gown, my face softly made up, my fair hair gently waved…the Iron Lady of the Western World! Me? A cold war warrior? Well, yes—if that is how they wish to interpret my defence of values and freedoms fundamental to our way of life.
speech at Finchley, 31 January 1976; "The Iron Lady" was the name given to her by the Soviet defence ministry newspaper
Red Star
, which accused her of trying to revive the cold war
No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions. He had money as well.
television interview, 6 January 1980
To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have only this to say. "You turn if you want; the lady's not for turning."
speech at Conservative Party Conference in Brighton, 10 October 1980.
Just rejoice at that news and congratulate our armed forces and the Marines. Rejoice!
on the recapture of South Georgia, usually quoted as, "Rejoice, rejoice!"
to newsmen outside 10 Downing Street, 25 April 1982
I was asked whether I was trying to restore Victorian values. I said straight out I was. And I am.
speech to the British Jewish Community, 21 July 1983, referring to an interview earlier that year
Now it must be business as usual.
on the steps of Brighton police station a few hours after the bombing of the Grand Hotel, Brighton; often quoted as "We shall carry on as usual"
in
The Times
13 October 1984
We can do business together.
of Mikhail Gorbachev
in
The Times
18 December 1984
We must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend.
speech to American Bar Association in London, 15 July 1985
There is no such thing as Society. There are individual men and women, and there are families.
in
Woman's Own
31 October 1987
We have become a grandmother.
in
The Times
4 March 1989
I am naturally very sorry to see you go, but understand…your wish to be able to spend more time with your family.
reply to Norman Fowler's resignation letter
in
Guardian
4 January 1990.
No! No! No!
making clear her opposition to a single European currency, and more centralized controls from Brussels
in the House of Commons, 30 October 1990
1859–1923
Log-cabin to White House.
title of biography (1910) of James Garfield
c.
528
bc
The wooden wall is your ships.
interpreting the words of the Delphic oracle to the Athenians, before the battle of Salamis in 480
bc
, "That the wooden wall only shall not fall, but help you and your children"
Plutarch
Parallel Lives
"Themistocles" bk. 2, ch. 1
c.
1380–1471
O quam cito transit gloria mundi.Oh how quickly the glory of the world passes away!
De Imitatione Christi
bk. 1, ch. 3, sect. 6.
For man proposes, but God disposes.
De Imitatione Christi
bk. 1, ch. 19, sect. 2
Would that we had spent one whole day well in this world!
De Imitatione Christi
bk. 1, ch. 23, sect. 2
If you bear the cross gladly, it will bear you.
De Imitatione Christi
bk. 2, ch. 12, sect. 5
c.
1225–74
Pange, lingua, gloriosi
Corporis mysterium.
Now, my tongue, the mystery telling
Of the glorious Body sing.
"Pange Lingua Gloriosi" (Corpus Christi hymn, tr. J. M. Neale, E. Caswall, and others).
Tantum ergo sacramentum
Veneremur cernui;
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui.
Therefore we, before him bending,
This great Sacrament revere;
Types and shadows have their ending,
For the newer rite is here.
"Pange Lingua Gloriosi" (Corpus Christi hymn, tr. J. M. Neale, E. Caswall, and others)
Moral science is better occupied when treating of friendship than of justice.
Exposition of Aristotle's Ethics
(
c.
1271) bk. 8, lecture 1