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Explore 7518 quotes originally in English

Every citizen owes to the country a vigilant watch and close scrutiny of its public servants and a fair and reasonable estimate of their fidelity and usefulness.

Grover Cleveland

First Inaugural Address of Grover Cleveland

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Topic

Civic duty Good government

Speaker

Grover Cleveland

Source

First Inaugural Address of Grover Cleveland Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1885 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Cleveland, Grover. "First Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1885, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

To read a newspaper is to refrain from reading something worth while.

Aleister Crowley

More information about this quote

Topic

Newspapers Reading Media criticism

Author

Aleister Crowley

Source

The Spirit of Solitude

Genre

Autobiography and memoir

Language

English

Time

1929 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Crowley, Aleister. The Spirit of Solitude. Mandrake Press, 1929.

Possessions, outward success, publicity, luxury—to me these have always been contemptible. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.

Albert Einstein

More information about this quote

Topic

Success Materialism Simple living

Author

Albert Einstein

Source

Albert Einstein Living Philosophies

Medium

Essay

Language

English

Time

1931 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Einstein, Albert. "Albert Einstein." Living Philosophies. Simon & Schuster, 1931, ch. 1.

Three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax, you're goddamn right I'm living in the fucking past!

The Big Lebowski

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Topic

Judaism Tradition Living in the past The past Nostalgia

Speaker

Walter Sobchak

Actor

John Goodman

Source

The Big Lebowski

Medium

Film

Genre

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

Language

English

Time

1998 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Big Lebowski. Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Working Title Films, 1998.

Why, this is very midsummer madness!

William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night

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Topic

Summer Seasons

Speaker

Olivia

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Twelfth Night

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play) Romantic comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1602 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night, Or What You Will. 1602, Middle Temple Hall, London, England, UK, act 3, sc. 4.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Twelfth Night." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 4.

Concern for the man himself and his fate must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavors; [..] concern for the great unsolved problems of the organization of labor and the distribution of goods in order that the creations of our mind shall be a blessing and not a curse to mankind. Never forget this in the midst of your diagrams and equations.

Albert Einstein

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Topic

Technological progress

Speaker

Albert Einstein

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1931 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Einstein, Albert. Speech at the California Institute of Technology. 16 Feb. 1931, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.

So every bondman in his own hand bears
The power to cancel his captivity.

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

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Topic

Suicide

Speaker

Casca

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Julius Caesar

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play) Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, 1599, Globe Theatre, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 3.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Julius Caesar." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 3.

That knuckle-end of England—that land of Calvin, oat-cakes, and sulphur.

Sydney Smith

On Scotland.

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Topic

Scotland

Speaker

Sydney Smith

Language

English

Time

1845 1840s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Smith, Sydney. Quoted in A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith, by Saba Holland. Vol. 1, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1855, ch. 2.

As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ gods;
They kill us for their sport.

William Shakespeare

King Lear

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Topic

God and man Absurdity of life The human condition

Speaker

Gloucester

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

King Lear

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1606 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. King Lear. King's Men, 26 Dec. 1606, Palace of Whitehall, Westminster, England, UK, act 4, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of King Lear." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 1.

Philosophy is nothing but discretion.

Richard Milward

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Topic

Philosophy Discretion Wisdom

Speaker

John Selden

Author

Richard Milward

Source

Table Talk

Language

English

Time

1689 1680s 17th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Selden, John. Table-talk, being discourses of John Seldon, Esq. London: Alex Murray and Sons, 1689.

We have cherished the policy of non-interference with affairs of foreign governments wisely inaugurated by Washington, keeping ourselves free from entanglement, either as allies or foes, content to leave undisturbed with them the settlement of their own domestic concerns.

William McKinley

First Inaugural Address of William McKinley

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Topic

Non-intervention Isolationism American foreign policy

Speaker

William McKinley

Source

First Inaugural Address of William McKinley Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1897 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

McKinley, William. "First Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1897, Front of original Senate Wing, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

The cow is of the bovine ilk;
One end is moo, the other, milk.

Ogden Nash

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Topic

Cows Animals

Author

Ogden Nash

Source

The Cow

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1931 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Nash, Ogden. "The Cow." Free Wheeling. Simon and Schuster, 1931.

Ah, life is a gate, a way, a path to Paradise anyway, why not live for fun and joy and love or some sort of girl by a fireside, why not go to your desire and LAUGH...

Jack Kerouac

Big Sur

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Topic

Enjoying life Life

Author

Jack Kerouac

Source

Big Sur

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1962 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Kerouac, Jack. Big Sur. Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, 1962, ch. 9.

Tea without milk is so uncivilized.

The Great Escape

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Topic

Tea

Speaker

Blythe 'The Forger'

Actor

Donald Pleasence

Source

The Great Escape

Medium

Film

Genre

War (film) Adventure (film) War Adventure

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Great Escape. Directed by John Sturges, The Mirisch Company, 1963.

Persecution is a bad and indirect way to plant Religion.

Sir Thomas Browne

Religio Medici

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Topic

Religious persecution

Author

Sir Thomas Browne

Source

Religio Medici

Genre

Autobiography and memoir Religious literature

Language

English

Time

1643 1640s 17th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Browne, Thomas, Sir. Religio Medici. London, 1643, pt. 1, sec. 25.

Current Citation

Browne, Thomas, Sir. "Religio Medici (1643)." Thomas Browne: Selected Writings, edited by Kevin Killeen. Oxford University Press, 2018, pt. 1, sec. 25.

We have to distrust each other. It's our only defense against betrayal.

Tennessee Williams

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Topic

Misanthropy Trusting others Betrayal

Speaker

Marguerite

Author

Tennessee Williams

Source

Camino Real

Medium

Play

Genre

Drama (play)

Language

English

Time

1953 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Williams, Tennessee. Camino Real. New Directions, 1953, block 10.

Ours was the first revolution in the history of mankind that truly reversed the course of government, and with three little words: "We the People." "We the People" tell the government what to do; it doesn't tell us."We the People" are the driver; the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast. Almost all the world's constitutions are documents in which governments tell the people what their privileges are. Our Constitution is a document in which "We the People" tell the government what it is allowed to do."We the People" are free.

Ronald Reagan

1989 Farewell Address

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Topic

American Revolution Limited government Government Political theory American politics

Speaker

Ronald Reagan

Source

1989 Farewell Address Presidential Farewell Address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1989 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Reagan, Ronald. "Farewell Address to the Nation." 11 Jan. 1989, Oval Office, The White House, Washington, DC, USA.

I am ill every time it blows hard, and nothing but my enthusiastic love for the profession keeps me one hour at sea.

Horatio Nelson

More information about this quote

Topic

Seasickness Sailing Vocation

Author

Horatio Nelson

Source

Letters of Horatio Nelson

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1804 1800s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Nelson, Horatio. Letter to the Earl of Camden, the Secretary of War. c. 1804.

The effect of power and publicity on all men is the aggravation of self, a sort of tumor that ends by killing the victim's sympathies.

Henry Adams

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Topic

Effects of power Effects of fame Power Fame

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. 10.

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. 10.

The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities.

Shunryu Suzuki

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Topic

Open-mindedness Clean slate Possibility Acceptance

Author

Shunryu Suzuki

Source

Zen Mind, Beginnner's Mind

Genre

Philosophical literature Religious literature

Language

English

Time

1970 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Weatherhill, 1970. Originally a talk given at his Zen center in c. 1969, Los Altos, CA, USA.