Childhood knows what it wants—to leave childhood behind.
—Jean Cocteau, 1947
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Quotes
From hell’s heart I stab at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee.
—Herman Melville, 1851I take it as a prime cause of the present confusion of society that it is too sickly and too doubtful to use pleasure frankly as a test of value.
—Rebecca West, 1939Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost.
—Robert Southey, 1809Is this dying? Is this all? Is this all that I feared when I prayed against a hard death? Oh, I can bear this! I can bear it!
—Cotton Mather, 1728To be a successful father… there’s one absolute rule: when you have a kid, don’t look at it for the first two years.
—Ernest Hemingway, 1954The civilized man has built a coach but has lost the use of his feet.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841It is a luxury to be understood.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1831The vice presidency isn’t worth a pitcher of warm piss.
—John Nance Garner, c. 1967Survivors look back and see omens, messages they missed.
—Joan Didion, 2005Revolutions are not about trifles, but they are produced by trifles.
—Aristotle, c. 350 BCI sometimes think of what future historians will say of us. A single sentence will suffice for modern man: he fornicated and read the papers.
—Albert Camus, 1957I never even saw the use of the sea. Many a sad heart has it caused, and many a sick stomach has it occasioned! The boldest sailor climbs on board with a heavy soul and leaps on land with a light spirit.
—Benjamin Disraeli, 1827