Sex: in America, an obsession; in other parts of the world, a fact.
—Marlene Dietrich, 1962
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Quotes
Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.
—Zora Neale Hurston, 1937How can we bear misfortune most easily? If we see our enemies faring worse.
—Thales of Miletus, c. 585 BCMachines do not run in order to enable men to live, but we resign ourselves to feeding men in order that they may serve the machines.
—Simone Weil, 1934As bad a dresser as I am, anything beats being judged by my character.
—David Sedaris, 1997Educate people without religion and you make them but clever devils.
—Arthur Wellesley, c. 1830Friendship itself will not stand the strain of very much good advice for very long.
—Robert Wilson Lynd, 1924As he brews, so shall he drink.
—Ben Jonson, 1598And to our age’s drowsy blood / Still shouts the inspiring sea.
—James Russell Lowell, 1848There is no happiness like that of a young couple in a little house they have built themselves in a place of beauty and solitude.
—Annie Proulx, 2008All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.
—Toni Morrison, 1987Music is a beautiful opiate, if you don’t take it too seriously.
—Henry Miller, 1945Play, wherein persons of condition, especially ladies, waste so much of their time, is a plain instance to me that men cannot be perfectly idle; they must be doing something, for how else could they sit so many hours toiling at that which generally gives more vexation than delight to people whilst they are actually engaged in it?
—John Locke, 1693