The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (458 page)

White, Theodore H.
1915–86

1
The flood of money that gushes into politics today is a pollution of democracy.

in
Time
19 November 1984

 
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Whitehead, Alfred North
1861–1947

1
There are no whole truths; all truths are half-truths. It is trying to treat them as whole truths that plays the devil.

Dialogues
(1954) prologue

2
Intelligence is quickness to apprehend as distinct from ability, which is capacity to act wisely on the thing apprehended.

Dialogues
(1954) 15 December 1939

3
Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them.

Introduction to Mathematics
(1911) ch. 5

 
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Whitehorn, Katharine
1928–

1
I wouldn't say when you've seen one Western you've seen the lot; but when you've seen the lot you get the feeling you've seen one.

Sunday Best
(1976) "Decoding the West"

 
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1
When you're all dressed up and have no place to go.

title of song (1912)

 
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Whiting, William
1825–78

1
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm doth bind the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee,
For those in peril on the sea.

"Eternal Father, Strong to Save" (1869 hymn)

 
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Whitman, Walt
1819–92

1
I sing the body electric.

title of poem (1855)

2
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won.

"O Captain! My Captain!" (1871)

3
Exult O shores, and ring O bells! But I with mournful tread
Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

"O Captain! My Captain!" (1871)

4
Pioneers! O pioneers!

title of poem (1881)

5
Camerado, this is no book,
Who touches this touches a man.

"So Long!" (1881)

6
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God.

"Song of Myself" (written 1855) pt. 32

7
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

"Song of Myself" (written 1855) pt. 51

8
When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed,
And the great star early drooped in the western sky in the night,
I mourned, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.

"When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed" (1881) st. 1

9
The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem.

Leaves of Grass
(1855) preface

 
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