The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Preface

Thieves respect property. They merely wish the property to become their property that they
may more perfectly respect it.
‘The Man who was Thursday’ (1908) ch. 4
The human race, to which so many of my readers belong, has been playing at children’s games
from the beginning, and will probably do it till the end, which is a nuisance for the few people
who grow up.
‘The Napoleon of Notting Hill’ (1904) bk. 1, ch. 1
Democracy means government by the uneducated, while aristocracy means government by the
badly educated.
‘New York Times’ 1 February 1931, pt. 5, p. 1
Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the
democracy of the dead.
‘Orthodoxy’ (1908) ch. 4
Democrats object to men being disqualified by the accident of birth; tradition objects to their
being disqualified by the accident of death.
‘Orthodoxy’ (1908) ch. 4
All conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone you leave them as they
are. But you do not. If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change.
‘Orthodoxy’ (1908) ch. 7
He could not think up to the height of his own towering style.
‘The Victorian Age in Literature’ (1912) ch. 3 (on Tennyson)
The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left
untried.
‘What’s Wrong with the World’ (1910) pt. 1 ‘The Unfinished Temple’
The prime truth of woman, the universal mother...that if a thing is worth doing, it is worth
doing badly.
‘What’s Wrong with the World’ (1910) pt. 4 ‘Folly and Female Education’
3.88 Erskine Childers 1870-1922
The riddle of the sands.
Title of novel (1903)
Come closer, boys. It will be easier for you.
Addressed to the firing squad at his execution, in Burke Wilkinson ‘The Zeal of the Convert’ (1976) ch. 26
3.89 William Chillingworth 1602-44
The Bible and the Bible only is the religion of Protestants.
‘The Religion of Protestants’ (1637)
I once knew a man out of courtesy help a lame dog over a stile, and he for requital bit his
fingers.
‘The Religion of Protestants’ (1637)