The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1709

Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail

Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt, Dispraise, or blame, nothing but well and fair, And what may quiet us in a death so noble.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1721

All is best, though we oft doubt, What the unsearchable dispose Of highest wisdom brings about, And ever best found in the close.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1745

His servants he, with new acquist

Of true experience from this great event With peace and consolation hath dismissed, And calm of mind, all passion spent.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1755

How soon hath time the subtle thief of youth, Stol’n on his wing my three and twentieth year!

‘Sonnet’ 7 ‘How soon hath time’ (1645)

I did but prompt the age to quit their clogs By the known rules of ancient liberty, When straight a barbarous noise environs me Of owls and cuckoos, asses, apes, and dogs.

‘Sonnet’ 12 ‘I did but prompt the age’ (1673)

Licence they mean when they cry liberty;

For who loves that, must first be wise and good.

‘Sonnet’ 12 ‘I did but prompt the age’ (1673)

Doth God exact day-labour, light denied, I fondly ask; but patience to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need Either man’s work or his own gifts, who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best, his state Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed

And post o’er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait.

‘Sonnet’ 16 ‘When I consider how my light is spent’ (1673)

Today deep thoughts resolve with me to drench In mirth, that after no repenting draws.

‘Sonnet’ 18 ‘Cyriack, whose grandsire on the royal bench’ (1673)

Methought I saw my late espouséd saint

Brought to me like Alcestis from the grave.

‘Sonnet’ 19 ‘Methought I saw my late espouséd saint’ (1673)

But oh as to embrace me she inclined

I waked, she fled, and day brought back my night.

‘Sonnet’ 19 ‘Methought I saw my late espouséd saint’ (1673)

New Presbyter is but old Priest writ large.

‘On the New Forcers of Conscience under the Long Parliament’ (1646)

For what can war, but endless war still breed?

‘On the Lord General Fairfax at the Siege of Colchester’ (written 1648, published 1694)

Cromwell, our chief of men.

‘To the Lord General Cromwell’ (written 1652, published 1694)

Peace hath her victories No less renowned than war.

‘To the Lord General Cromwell’ (written 1652, published 1694)

He who would not be frustrate of his hope to write well hereafter in laudable things, ought himself to be a true poem.

‘An Apology for Smectymnuus’ (1642) introduction, p. 16

His words...like so many nimble and airy servitors trip about him at command.

‘An Apology for Smectymnuus’ (1642) sect. 12, p. 55

For this is not the liberty which we can hope, that no grievance ever should arise in the Commonwealth, that let no man in this world expect; but when complaints are freely heard, deeply considered, and speedily reformed, then is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look for.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 1

Books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 4

As good almost kill a man as kill a good book: who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God’s image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the image of God, as it were in the eye.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 4

A good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 4

It was from out the rind of one apple tasted that the knowledge of good and evil as two twins cleaving together leaped forth into the world. And perhaps this is that doom that Adam fell into of knowing good and evil, that is to say, of knowing good by evil.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 12

He that can apprehend and consider vice with all her baits and seeming pleasures, and yet

abstain, and yet distinguish, and yet prefer that which is truly better, he is the true warfaring Christian. I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary, but slinks out of the race, where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat. Assuredly we bring not innocence into the world, we bring impurity much rather: that which purifies us is trial, and trial is by what is contrary.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 12

If we think to regulate printing, thereby to rectify manners, we must regulate all recreations and pastimes, all that is delightful to man...It will ask more than the work of twenty licensers to examine all the lutes, the violins, and the guitars in every house; they must not be suffered to pratle as they do, but must be licenced what they may say. And who shall silence all the airs and madrigals, that whisper softness in chambers?

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 16

From that time ever since, the sad friends of Truth, such as durst appear, imitating the careful search that Isis made for the mangled body of Osiris, went up and down gathering up limb by limb still as they could find them. We have not yet found them all, Lords and Commons, nor ever shall do, till her Master’s second coming; He shall bring together every joint and member, and shall mould them into an immortal feature of loveliness and perfection.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 29

To be still searching what we know not, by what we know, still closing up truth to truth as we find it (for all her body is homogeneal and proportional), this is the golden rule in theology as well as in arithmetic, and makes up the best harmony in a church.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 30

God is decreeing to begin some new and great period in his Church, even to the reforming of Reformation itself. What does he then but reveal Himself to his servants, and as his manner is, first to his Englishmen?

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 31

Behold now this vast city [London]; a city of refuge, the mansion-house of liberty, encompassed and surrounded with his protection.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 31

Where there is much desire to learn, there of necessity will be much arguing, much writing, many opinions; for opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 31

Methinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant nation rousing herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks. Methinks I see her as an eagle mewing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 34

Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 34

Though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field,

we do injuriously by licensing and prohibiting to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter?

‘Areopagitica’ (1644) p. 35

Let not England forget her precedence of teaching nations how to live.

‘The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce’ (1643) ‘To the Parliament of England’

I owe no light or leading received from any man in the discovery of this truth.

‘The Judgement of Martin Bucer’ (1644); on ‘The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce’ (1643)

I call therefore a complete and generous education that which fits a man to perform justly, skilfully and magnanimously all the offices both private and public of peace and war.

‘Of Education’ (1644)

Ornate rhetoric taught out of the rule of Plato...To which poetry would be made subsequent, or indeed rather precedent, as being less subtle and fine, but more simple, sensuous and passionate.

‘Of Education’ (1644)

In those vernal seasons of the year, when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against nature not to go out, and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and earth.

‘Of Education’ (1644) ‘Their Exercise’

What I have spoken, is the language of that which is not called amiss The good old Cause.

‘The Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth’ (2nd ed., 1660) p. 106

But because about the manner and order of this government, whether it ought to be Presbyterial, or Prelatical, such endless question, or rather uproar is arisen in this land, as may be justly termed, what the fever is to the physicians, the eternal reproach of our divines.

‘The Reason of Church Government’ (1642) preface

This manner of writing [prose] wherein knowing myself inferior to myself...I have the use, as I may account it, but of my left hand.

‘The Reason of Church Government’ (1642) bk. 2, introduction

By labour and intent study (which I take to be my portion in this life) joined with the strong propensity of nature, I might perhaps leave something so written to aftertimes, as they should not willingly let it die.

‘The Reason of Church Government’ (1642) bk. 2, introduction

The land had once enfranchised herself from this impertinent yoke of prelaty, under whose inquisitorious and tyrannical duncery no free and splendid wit can flourish.

‘The Reason of Church Government’ (1642) bk. 2, introduction

Beholding the bright countenance of truth in the quiet and still air of delightful studies.

‘The Reason of Church Government’ (1642) bk. 2, introduction

None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but licence.

‘The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates’ (1649)

No man who knows aught, can be so stupid to deny that all men naturally were born free.

‘The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates’ (1649)

1.135 Comte de Mirabeau 1749-91

La guerre est l’industrie nationale de la Prusse.

War is the national industry of Prussia.

Attributed to Mirabeau by Albert Sorel, based on words found in the introduction to Mirabeau’s ‘De la monarchie prussienne sous Frèdèric le Grand’ (1788)

1.136 The Missal

Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor.

Sprinkle me with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be cleansed.

‘Anthem at Sprinkling the Holy Water’.

Dominus vobiscum. Et cum spiritu tuo.

The Lord be with you.

And with thy spirit.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’

In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’

Introibo ad altare Dei.

I will go unto the altar of God.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is

now, and ever shall be, world without end.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’ ‘The Doxology’.

Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Michaeli Archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistae, sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, omnibus sanctis, et tibi, Pater, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo, et opere, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you, Father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault,

through my most grievous fault.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’

Kyrie eleison...Christe eleison.

Lord, have mercy upon us...Christ, have mercy upon us.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’

Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te.

Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise thee, we bless

thee, we adore thee, we glorify thee.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

Oremus.

Let us pray.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’

Deo gratias.

Thanks be to God.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’

Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula: Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero; genitum non factum, consubstantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem, descendit de coelis; et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, ex Maria Virgine; ET HOMO FACTUS EST. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis, sub Pontio Pilato passus, et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas; et ascendit in coelum; sedet ad dexteram Patris; et iterum venturus est cum gloria, judicare vivos et mortuos; cuius regni non erit finis. Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum vivificantem, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit; qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur, et conglorificatur; qui locutus est per Prophetas. Et unam sanctam Catholicam et Apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi saeculi.

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages; God of God, light of light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven; and became incarnate by the Holy Ghost, of the Virgin Mary; AND WAS MADE MAN. He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of the Father; and he is to come again with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who together with the Father and the Son, is adored and glorified; who spoke by the Prophets. And one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the

life of the world to come.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’ ‘The Nicene Creed’.

Sursum corda.

Lift up your hearts.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

Dignum et justum est.

It is right and fitting.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the

highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

Pater noster, qui es in coelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo, et in terra; panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we

forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who

takest away the sins of the world, give us peace.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’ Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum; sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.

Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but say only the word, and my soul shall be healed.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

Ite missa est.

Go, you are dismissed.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’ (commonly interpreted as ‘Go, the Mass is ended’)

In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST.

THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH.

‘The Ordinary of the Mass’.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine on them.

‘Order of Mass for the Dead’

Dies irae, dies illa, Solvet saeclum in favilla, Teste David cum Sibylla.

That day, the day of wrath, will turn the universe to ashes, as David foretells (and the Sibyl

too).

‘Order of Mass for the Dead’ ‘Sequentia’ (commonly known as ‘Dies Irae’); attributed to Thomas of Celano (c.1190-1260) l. 1

Tuba mirum spargens sonum Per sepulcra regionum, Coget omnes ante thronum.

The trumpet will fling out a wonderful sound through the tombs of all regions, it will drive everyone before the throne. Death will be aghast and so will nature, when creation rises again to make answer to the judge. The written book will be brought forth, in which everything is

included whereby the world will be judged.

‘Order of Mass for the Dead’ ‘Sequentia’ (commonly known as ‘Dies Irae’); attributed to Thomas of Celano (c.1190-1260) l. 7

Rex tremendae maiestatis, Qui salvandos salvas gratis, Salva me, fons pietatis!

O King of tremendous majesty, who freely saves those who should be saved, save me, O

source of pity!

‘Order of Mass for the Dead’ ‘Sequentia’ (commonly known as ‘Dies Irae’); attributed to Thomas of Celano (c.1190-1260) l. 22

Inter oves locum praesta Et ab haedis me sequestra Statuens in parte dextra.

Among the sheep set me a place and separate me from the goats, standing me on the right-hand

side.

‘Order of Mass for the Dead’ ‘Sequentia’ (commonly known as ‘Dies Irae’); attributed to Thomas of Celano (c.1190-1260) l. 43

Requiescant in pace.

May they rest in peace.

‘Order of Mass for the Dead’

O felix culpa, quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem.

O happy fault, which has earned such a mighty Redeemer.

‘Exsultet’ on Holy Saturday

1.137 Adrian Mitchell 1932—

Most people ignore most poetry because

most poetry ignores most people.

‘Poems’ (1964) p. 8

1.138 Joni Mitchell 1945—

I’ve looked at life from both sides now, From win and lose and still somehow It’s life’s illusions I recall;

I really don’t know life at all.

‘Both Sides Now’ (1967 song)

They paved paradise And put up a parking lot, With a pink hotel,

A boutique, and a swinging hot spot.

‘Big Yellow Taxi’ (1970 song)

We are stardust, We are golden,

And we got to get ourselves Back to the garden.

‘Woodstock’ (1969 song)

1.139 Margaret Mitchell 1900-49

Death and taxes and childbirth! There’s never any convenient time for any of them.

‘Gone with the Wind’ (1936) ch. 38.

I wish I could care what you do or where you go but I can’t...My dear, I don’t give a damn.

‘Gone with the Wind’ (1936) ch. 57 (Rhett Butler to Scarlett); ‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn!’ in the 1939 screen version by Sidney Howard

After all, tomorrow is another day.

‘Gone with the Wind’ (1936) closing words

1.140 Nancy Mitford 1904-73

‘Always be civil to the girls, you never know who they may marry’ is an aphorism which has

saved many an English spinster from being treated like an Indian widow.

‘Love in a Cold Climate’ (1949) pt. 1, ch. 2

An aristocracy in a republic is like a chicken whose head has been cut off: it may run about in a lively way, but in fact it is dead.

‘Noblesse Oblige’ (1956) ‘The English Aristocracy’

Frogs...are slightly better than Huns or Wops, but abroad is unutterably bloody and foreigners are fiends.

‘The Pursuit of Love’ (1945) ch. 15

Wooing, so tiring, you know.

‘The Pursuit of Love’ (1945)

There’s a letter for you from France. How disgusting.

‘The Pursuit of Love’ (1945)

1.141 François Mitterand 1916—

You, Attali, are a mere chapter. I am the entire volume.

To his adviser, Jacques Attali, in ‘Observer’ ‘Sayings of the Year’ (1991)

1.142 Addison Mizner 1892-1933

See Ethel Watts Mumford (1.195)

1.143 Wilson Mizner 1876-1933

Be nice to people on your way up because you’ll meet ’em on your way down.

In Alva Johnston ‘The Legendary Mizners’ (1953) ch. 4

Treat a whore like a lady and a lady like a whore.

In Alva Johnston ‘The Legendary Mizners’ (1953) ch. 4

If you steal from one author, it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many, it’s research.

In Alva Johnston ‘The Legendary Mizners’ (1953) ch. 4

A trip through a sewer in a glass-bottomed boat.

On Hollywood, in Alva Johnston ‘The Legendary Mizners’ (1953) ch. 4; converted by Mayor Jimmy Walker into ‘A reformer is a guy who rides through a sewer in a glass-bottomed boat’

1.144 Moliére (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) 1622-73

Prèsentez toujours le devant au monde.

Always present your front to the world.

‘L’Avare’ (1669) act 3, sc. 1

Il faut manger pour vivre et non pas vivre pour manger.

One should eat to live, and not live to eat.

‘L’Avare’ (1669) act 3, sc. 1

Tout ce qui n’est point prose est vers; et tout ce qui n’est point vers est prose.

All that is not prose is verse; and all that is not verse is prose.