Understanding is a very dull occupation.
—Gertrude Stein, 1937
Archive
Quotes
Every creature in the world is like a book and a picture, to us, and a mirror.
—Alain de Lille, c. 1200Men are merriest when they are from home.
—William Shakespeare, 1599Among famous traitors of history, one might mention the weather.
—Ilka Chase, 1969Everything remembered is dear, endearing, touching, precious. At least the past is safe—though we didn’t know it at the time.
—Susan Sontag, 1973Just to fill the hour—that is happiness.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844The mansion of modern freedoms stands on an ever-expanding base of fossil-fuel use.
—Dipesh Chakrabarty, 2008I hate the sight of monkeys; they remind me so of poor relations.
—Henry Luttrell, 1820Towns oftener swamp one than carry one out onto the big ocean of life.
—D.H. Lawrence, 1908’Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers.
—William Shakespeare, c. 1595A family’s photograph album is generally about the extended family—and, often, is all that remains of it.
—Susan Sontag, 1977I care. I care about it all. It takes too much energy not to care.
—Lorraine Hansberry, 1965Many need no other provocation to enmity than that they find themselves excelled.
—Samuel Johnson, 1751