heart that gives, gathers.
Marianne Moore, American poet (1887–1972)
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You will find it a very good practice always to verify your references, sir!
Martin Joseph Routh, English classical scholar (1755–1854)
•
The sense of being well-dressed gives a feeling of inward tranquillity which religion is powerless to bestow.
Emerson, Social Aims (1876)
Miss CF Forbes, English writer (1817–1911)
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Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist and poet (1854–1900)
•
I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.
An Ideal Husband (1895)
Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist and poet (1854–1900)
•
Education is what you get when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don’t.
Pete Seeger, American folk singer (1919–2014)
•
When the bee comes to your house, let her have beer; you may want to visit the bee’s house some day.
Proverb from the Republic of Congo
•
There was no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years the dirt doesn’t get any worse.
The Naked Civil Servant (1968)
Quentin Crisp, English writer, raconteur and actor (1908–1999)
•
There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing.
Robert Burns, Scottish poet (1759–1796)
•
If you live among wolves you have to howl like a wolf.
Russian proverb
•
He who is blind, dumb and deaf will live a peaceful life of a hundred years.
Sicilian proverb
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You’ve got to have two out of death, sex and jewels.
[In The Sunday Times, 1994, on his principles for a successful museum show]
Sir Roy Strong, English art historian (1935–)
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Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue — to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.
Socrates, Greek philosopher (470–399 BC)
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There are two possible situations — one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it — you will regret both.
Either/Or (1843)
Søren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher (1813–1855)
•
Don’t speak unless you can improve on the silence.
Spanish proverb
•
The shrimp that falls asleep is carried away by the current.
Spanish proverb
•
Straightforwardness without civility is like a surgeon’s knife, effective but unpleasant. Candour with courtesy is helpful and admirable.
Sri Yukteswar Giri, Indian guru (1855–1936)
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Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow.
Swedish proverb
•
Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love.
Turkish proverb
•
Your head is not only for putting a hat on.
Ukrainian proverb
•
Think like a wise man but express yourself like the common people.
WB Yeats, Irish poet (1865–1939)
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Be nice to people on your way up because you’ll meet ’em on your way down.
Wilson Mizner, American playwright (1876–1933)
•
Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.
Sir Winston Churchill, prime minister of the UK, historian and Nobel Prize winner (1874–1965)
Time for a little something.
Winnie the Pooh (1926)
AA Milne, English writer (1882–1956)
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In the spring a livelier iris changes on the burnished dove; In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.
Locksley Hall (1842)
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, English poet (1809–1892)
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My
