The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (470 page)

Wotton, Henry
1568–1639

1
You meaner beauties of the night,
That poorly satisfy our eyes,
More by your number, than your light;
You common people of the skies,
What are you when the moon shall rise?

"On His Mistress, the Queen of Bohemia" (1624)

2
He first deceased; she for a little tried
To live without him: liked it not, and died.

"Upon the Death of Sir Albertus Moreton's Wife" (1651)

3
Well building hath three conditions. Commodity, firmness, and delight.

Elements of Architecture
(1624) pt. 1

4
An ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the good of his country.

written in the album of Christopher Fleckmore in 1604

 
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Wright, Frank Lloyd
1867–1959

1
The physician can bury his mistakes, but the architect can only advise his client to plant vines—so they should go as far as possible from home to build their first buildings.

in
New York Times
4 October 1953, sect. 6

 
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Wroth, Lady Mary
c.
1586–1652

1
Love, a child, is ever crying:
Please him and he straight is flying,
Give him, he the more is craving,
Never satisfied with having.

"Love, a child, is ever crying" (1621)

 
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Wu, Harry
1937–

1
I want to see the word laogai in every dictionary in every language in the world. I want to see the laogai ended. Before 1974, the word "gulag" did not appear in any dictionary. Today, this single word conveys the meaning of Soviet political violence and its labour camp system. "Laogai" also deserves a place in our dictionaries.
the laogai are Chinese labour camps

in
Washington Post
26 May 1996

 
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Wyatt, Thomas
c.
1503–42

1
They flee from me, that sometime did me seek
With naked foot, stalking in my chamber.

"They flee from me" (1557)

2
When her loose gown from her shoulders did fall,
And she me caught in her arms long and small;
Therewith all sweetly did me kiss,
And softly said, "Dear heart, how like you this?"

"They flee from me" (1557)

 
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Wycherley, William
c.
1640–1716

1
Go to your business, I say, pleasure, whilst I go to my pleasure, business.

The Country Wife
(1675) act 2

2
And with faint praises one another damn.
of drama critics

The Plain Dealer
(1677) prologue.

3
A man without money needs no more fear a crowd of lawyers than a crowd of pickpockets.

The Plain Dealer
(1677) act 3, sc. 1

 
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