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There is not a fiercer hell than the failure in a great object.

John Keats

Endymion

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Topic

Failure

Author

John Keats

Source

Endymion

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1818 1810s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Keats, John. Endymion. London: Taylor and Hessey, 1818, preface.

Current Citation

Keats, John. "Endymion." John Keats: Selected Poems, edited by John Barnard. Penguin Classics, 2007, preface.

All experience is an arch, to build upon.

Henry Adams

The Education of Henry Adams

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Topic

Self-improvement Personal growth Life experience

Author

Henry Adams

Source

The Education of Henry Adams

Genre

Autobiography and memoir

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1907 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Adams, Henry. The Education of Henry Adams. 1907, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Adams, Henry.Adams, Henry. "The Education of Henry Adams." Henry Adams: Democracy, Esther, Mont Saint Michel and Chartres, The Education of Henry Adams, edited by Ernest Samuels and Jayne Samuels. Library of America, 1983, ch. 6.

Many hands make light warke.

John Heywood

Proverbs (Heywood)

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Topic

Cooperation and collaboration

Author

John Heywood

Source

Proverbs (Heywood)

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

English

Time

1580 1580s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Heywood, John. The Proverbs of John Heywood. London: George Bell and Sons, 1874, pt. 2, ch. 5.

Irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors.

T.H. Huxley

More information about this quote

Topic

Irrationality Reason

Speaker

T.H. Huxley

Source

The Coming of Age of the Origin of Species

Medium

Lecture

Language

English

Time

1880 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Huxley, Thomas Henry. "The Coming of Age of The Origin of Species." 19 Mar. 1880, Royal Institution, London, England, UK. Lecture.

Dead battles, like dead generals, hold the military mind in their dead grip, and Germans, no less than other peoples, prepare for the last war.

Barbara W. Tuchman

The Guns of August

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Topic

Preparing for war War

Author

Barbara W. Tuchman

Source

The Guns of August

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1962 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Tuchman, Barbara W. The Guns of August. Macmillan, 1962, ch. 2.

Dictionaries are but the depositories of words already legitimated by usage. Society is the work-shop in which new ones are elaborated. When an individual uses a new word, if illformed it is rejected in society, if well-informed, adopted, and, after due time, laid up in the depository of dictionaries.

Thomas Jefferson

More information about this quote

Topic

Meaning of words Words Language

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Medium

Letter

Genre

Political writing

Language

English

Time

1820 1820s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. Letter to John Adams. 15 Aug. 1820.

Current Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. "John Adams, Aug. 15, 1820." The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Including the Autobiography, The Declaration of Independence & His Public and Private Letters, edited by Adrienne Koch and William Peden. Modern Library, 1998.

Nobody asks to be a hero...it just sometimes turns out that way.

Black Hawk Down

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Topic

Heroes War

Speaker

Eversmann

Actor

Josh Hartnett

Source

Black Hawk Down

Medium

Film

Genre

War (film) War

Language

English

Time

2001 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Black Hawk Down. Directed by Ridley Scott, Scott Free Productions/Revolution Studios/Columbia Pictures/Jerry Bruckheimer Films, 2001.

There is no way of keeping profits up but by keeping wages down.

David Ricardo

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Topic

Wages Labor Profits Zero sum thinking Capitalism Economic theory

Author

David Ricardo

Source

On Protection to Agriculture

Medium

Essay

Genre

Economic literature

Language

English

Time

1822 1820s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ricardo, David. On Protection to Agriculture. London: John Murray, 1822.

Practical politics consists in ignoring facts.

Henry Adams

The Education of Henry Adams

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Topic

Politics

Author

Henry Adams

Source

The Education of Henry Adams

Genre

Autobiography and memoir

Language

English

Time

1907 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Adams, Henry. The Education of Henry Adams. 1907, ch. 24.

Current Citation

Adams, Henry. "The Education of Henry Adams." Henry Adams: Democracy, Esther, Mont Saint Michel and Chartres, The Education of Henry Adams, edited by Ernest Samuels and Jayne Samuels. Library of America, 1983, ch. 24.

Vice came in always at the door of necessity, not at the door of inclination.

Daniel Defoe

Moll Flanders

More information about this quote

Topic

Vice Moral theory Morality

Author

Daniel Defoe

Source

Moll Flanders

Medium

Novel

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1722 1720s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Defoe, Daniel, [published anonymously]. Moll Flanders. London: William Rufus Chetwood, 1722.

Current Citation

Defoe, Daniel. Moll Flanders: A Norton Critical Edition, edited by Albert J. Rivero. W.W. Norton & Company, 2003.

The safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.

C.S. Lewis

The Screwtape Letters

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Topic

Hell

Author

C.S. Lewis

Source

The Screwtape Letters

Medium

Novel

Genre

Religious literature

Language

English

Time

1942 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Lewis, C.S. The Screwtape Letters. Geoffrey Bles, 1942, letter 12.

If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently.

Calvin

Quoted in Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson

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Topic

Stars Slowing down

Speaker

Calvin

Author

Bill Watterson

Source

Calvin and Hobbes

Medium

Comic strip

Language

English

Time

1992 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Watterson, Bill. Calvin and Hobbes. Comic Strip. 30 June 1992.

How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?

Ferris Bueller

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

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Topic

Skipping school School

Speaker

Ferris Bueller

Actor

Matthew Broderick

Source

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Medium

Film

Genre

Teen comedy (film) Teen (film) Teen comedy Teen

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Directed by John Hughes. Paramount Pictures, 1986.

You look down, they know you're lying and up, they know you don't know the truth. Don't use seven words when four will do. Don't shift your weight, look always at your mark but don't stare, be specific but not memorable, be funny but don't make him laugh. He's got to like you then forget you the moment you've left his side.

Ocean's Eleven

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Topic

Keeping a low profile

Speaker

Rusty Ryan

Actor

Brad Pitt

Source

Ocean's Eleven

Medium

Film

Genre

Crime comedy (film) Crime (film) Crime comedy Crime

Statement Type

Orders and commands

Language

English

Time

2001 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Ocean's Eleven. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Village Roadshow Pictures/NPV Entertainment/Jerry Weintraub Productions/Section Eight Productions, 2001.

I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.

Tira

I'm No Angel

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Topic

Promiscuity

Speaker

Tira

Actor

Mae West

Source

I'm No Angel

Medium

Film

Genre

Romantic comedy (film) Romantic comedy

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1933 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

I'm No Angel. Directed by Wesley Ruggles, Paramount Pictures, 1933.

My God, are we gonna be like our parents?

The Breakfast Club

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Topic

Parents and children Growing up

Speaker

Andrew Clark

Actor

Emilio Estevez

Source

The Breakfast Club

Medium

Film

Genre

Teen (film) Coming of age (film) Teen Coming of age

Language

English

Time

1985 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Breakfast Club. Directed by John Hughes, A&M Films/Channel Productions, 1985.

Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody.

Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Walflower

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Topic

The only constant is change Life

Author

Stephen Chbosky

Source

The Perks of Being a Walflower

Medium

Novel

Genre

Coming of age story

Language

English

Time

1999 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Pocket Books, 1999.

Black as midnight on a moonless night.

Dale Cooper

Twin Peaks

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Topic

The dark

Speaker

Dale Cooper

Actor

Kyle MacLachlan

Source

Twin Peaks

Medium

TV program

Genre

Mystery (TV) Drama (TV) Mystery Drama

Language

English

Time

1990 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

"Traces to Nowhere." Twin Peaks, written by Mark Frost and David Lynch, directed by Duwayne Dunham, season 1, episode 2, Propaganda Films and Spelling Entertainment and Lynch/Frost Productions, 1990.

Never pain to tell thy love
Love that never told can be
For the gentle wind does move
Silently invisibly

William Blake

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Topic

Limits of language Communication Love

Author

William Blake

Source

Never Seek to Tell Thy Love

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1807 1810s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Blake, William. Poem written in his notebook. c. 1792.

Current Citation

Blake, William. "Never Pain to Tell Thy Love." William Blake: Selected Poems, edited by Nicholas Shrimpton. Oxford University Press, 2019.

You don't want the bumpers. Life doesn't give you bumpers.

Boyhood

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Topic

Nature of life Life

Speaker

Mason Sr.

Actor

Ethan Hawke

Source

Boyhood

Medium

Film

Genre

Coming of age (film) Drama (film) Coming of age Drama

Language

English

Time

2014 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Boyhood. Directed by Richard Linklater, Detour Filmproduction and Cinetic Media, 2014.