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The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Preface

The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Preface

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Go ahead, make my day.<br />

‘Dirty Harry’ (1971 film); spoken by Clint Eastwood<br />

6.25 Ronald Firbank 1886-1926<br />

‘O! help me, heaven,’ she prayed, ‘to be decorative and to do right!’<br />

‘<strong>The</strong> Flower Beneath the Foot’ (1923) ch. 2<br />

I remember the average curate at home as something between a eunuch and a snigger.<br />

‘<strong>The</strong> Flower Beneath the Foot’ (1923) ch. 4<br />

<strong>The</strong>re was a pause—just long enough for an angel to pass, flying slowly.<br />

‘Vainglory’ (1915) ch. 6<br />

All millionaires love a baked apple.<br />

‘Vainglory’ (1915) ch. 13<br />

‘I know <strong>of</strong> no joy,’ she airily began, ‘greater than a cool white dress after the sweetness <strong>of</strong><br />

confession.’<br />

‘Valmouth’ (1919) ch. 4<br />

6.26 L’Abbè Edgeworth De Firmont 1745-1807<br />

Fils de Saint Louis, montez au ciel.<br />

Son <strong>of</strong> Saint Louis, ascend to heaven.<br />

Said to Louis XVI as he mounted the steps <strong>of</strong> the guillotine at his execution, 1793, and attributed to L’Abbè<br />

Edgeworth; no documentary pro<strong>of</strong><br />

6.27 Fred Fisher 1875-1942<br />

See Ada Benson (2.88)<br />

6.28 H. A. L. Fisher 1856-1940<br />

Men wiser and more learned than I have discerned in history a plot, a rhythm, a predetermined<br />

pattern. <strong>The</strong>se harmonies are concealed from me. I can see only one emergency following upon<br />

another as wave follows upon wave, only one great fact with respect to which, since it is unique,<br />

there can be no generalizations, only one safe rule for the historian: that he should recognize in<br />

the development <strong>of</strong> human destinies the play <strong>of</strong> the contingent and the unforeseen.<br />

‘A History <strong>of</strong> Europe’ (1935) p. vii<br />

Purity <strong>of</strong> race does not exist. Europe is a continent <strong>of</strong> energetic mongrels.<br />

‘A History <strong>of</strong> Europe’ (1935) ch. 1<br />

6.29 John Arbuthnot Fisher (Baron Fisher) 1841-1920<br />

<strong>The</strong> essence <strong>of</strong> war is violence. Moderation in war is imbecility.<br />

Lecture notes 1899-1902, in R. H. Bacon ‘Life <strong>of</strong> Lord Fisher’ (1929) vol. 1, ch. 7<br />

Sack the lot!<br />

Letter to ‘<strong>The</strong> Times’, 2 September 1919

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