Famous quotes
Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,159,190 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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“Be sure that Christ is not behind you, but before, calling and drawing you on. This is the liberty, the beautiful liberty of Christ. Claim your glorious privilege in the name of a disciple; be no more a servant, when Christ will own you as a friend.”
Horace Bushnell (1802–1876) said by 1876 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“But it isn’t absence that causes sorrow. It is affection and love. Without affection, without love, such absences would cause us no pain. For this reason, even the pain caused by absence is, in the end, something good and even beautiful, because it feeds on that which gives meaning to life.”
Carlo Rovelli (born 1956) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Those girls who give themselves to the man they love before marriage really succeed in cheating themselves. I know and understand how strong the temptation is, but also I know something else: there is nothing else more beautiful and wonderful than sexual love between marriage partners- when that love is entered into and blessed by God. Why would anyone want to accept anything less?”
Anita Bryant (1940–2024) said by 2024 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He stared at the city, half slum, half paradise. How could a place be so ugly and violent yet beautiful at the same time? he wondered. He hadn’t known about the poverty and violence of Lagos until he arrived. It was as if people conspired with the city to weave a web of silence around its unsavoury parts.”
Chris Abani (born 1966) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The time of illusion, then, is the beautiful moment of passion; it represents the artistic zone in which the poet or romance writer ought to be free to do the very best that he can.”
Lafcadio Hearn (1850–1904) said by 1904 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“what beautiful music I hear deep within myself. It’s made of geometric lines crisscrossing in the air. It’s chamber music. Chamber music is melody-less. It’s a way of expressing silence. What I’m writing you is chamber music. (p37)”
Clarice Lispector (1920–1977) said by 1977 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“And it may not be amiss, as bearing on this point, to recall a beautiful saying in the writings of Sextus, which is known to most Christians: “The eating of animals,” says he, “is a matter of indifference; but to abstain from them is more agreeable to reason.”
Origen (184–254) said by 254 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Behind it all is surely an idea so simple, so beautiful, so compelling that when — in a decade, a century, or a millennium — we grasp it, we will all say to each other, "Oh, how could it have been otherwise!”
John Archibald Wheeler (1911–2008) first seen 1990 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Information, Physics, Quantum: The Search for Links" in Complexity, Entropy and the Physics of Information (1990), ed. Wojciech H. Zurek. Archive text available via Santa Fe Institute Press.
“He needed more than vague explanations and abstract ideas—but those were the very soul of art. If you could explain something perfectly, then you’d never need art. That was the difference between a table and a beautiful woodcutting. You could explain the table: its purpose, its shape, its nature. The woodcutting you simply had to experience.”
Brandon Sanderson (born 1975) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The most beautiful discoveries since the Renaissance, indeed since the beginnings of all science, are the laws governing light, whether moving through a uniform medium, or being reflected from an opaque surface, or changing direction upon entering another transparent medium.”
Pierre Louis Maupertuis (1698–1759) said by 1759 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To say that a thing is beautiful is simply an act of faith, not a measurement on some kind of scale.”
Édouard Vuillard (1868–1940) first seen 1891 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 2 April 1891.
“The Earth was the only thing in the world — in the universe — that had any color. Everything else was black and white but the earth was beautiful blue and white and brownish continents. That was the most impressive sight for me of the entire flight.”
Frank Borman (1928–2023) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Apollo astronaut Frank Borman, who first orbited moon, dies at age 95", NPR (9 November 2023)
“Look at Jared Kushner. The poor man looks low T—like he might one day go the way of Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn Jenner. (I love LGBTQ, so long as they come in peace.) Jared's not wearing the pants in the Kushner castle. The beguilingly beautiful Ivanka is.”
Ilana Mercer first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: What Ivanka wants, Ivanka gets." American Thinker, April 13, 2017
“A green economy begins to replace some of the clunking and chugging of ugly machines with the wise effort of beautiful, skilled people. That means more jobs.”
“Don't ever give up on life. Life can be so beautiful, especially after you've spent a lot of time with it.”
Yoko Ono (born 1933) first seen 2009 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: 9 June 2009.
“you show me The world as it could be Through your kaleidoscope It's beautiful”
Kate Havnevik (born 1975) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Cruise is one of my favorite films and very close to the spirit of This American Life: It’s funny and moving and surprising and just beautiful to look at–black and white, shot on the cheap with all natural light on digital video, incredibly.”
“No matter how correct a mathematical theorem may appear to be, one ought never to be satisfied that there was not something imperfect about it until it gives the impression of also being beautiful.”
George Boole (1815–1864) said by 1864 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Attributed to George Boole in: Des MacHale (1993) Comic sections: the book of mathematical jokes, humour, and wisdom. p, 107
“Everyone who eats meat must kill the animal himself. Because carnivorous animals do not take a assistant, or at least presence walk and spend an hour of their lives watching this beautiful meal and see how these delicious foods are prepared for them.”
Sadegh Hedayat (1902–1951) said by 1951 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We have gone out several times this summer to gather simples and linden blossoms, etc. In each excursion we discover something marvelous, beautiful, and useful in the magnificent forests of Indiana. At each step we can admire the grandeur, the power, the goodness of God. How bountifully He provides for all our wants -- I would even say for our pleasures! I love our woods and solitude very much; …”
Théodore Guérin (1798–1856) first seen 1850 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: To the Right Reverend J. Bouvier, Bishop of Le Mans, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, 1850-07-10.
“I'd love to visit space, to see how our beautiful planet looks from there. I think every man has such a dream, but you'd need years of hard working for that.”
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (born 1979) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: (2008)
“Do you play chess, by the by?” asked Vance. “Used to. But no more. A beautiful game, though—if it wasn't for the players.”
S. S. Van Dine (1888–1939) said by 1939 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Hence, as Narcissus, by catching at the shadow, plunged himself in the stream and disappeared, so he who is captivated by beautiful bodies, and does not depart from their embrace, is precipitated, not with his body, but with his soul, into a darkness profound and repugnant to intellect (the higher soul), through which, remaining blind both here and in Hades, he associates with shadows.”
Plotinus (205–270) said by 270 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: First Ennead, Book VI, as translated by Thomas Taylor, The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries: A Dissertation (1891) pp. 43-44.
“My beautiful Grandmother -- Caroline Garlinghouse -- came from Pittsburgh -- my mother's mother. I never met her but I have followed many of her ideas -- through my mother -- And it has given me a warm spot in my heart for your city...My grandmother's brother, Fred Garlinghouse, lived in Pittsburgh, was an engineer and apparently worked for Jones and Laughlin Steel Company.”
Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) first seen 1984 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Writing in June 1984, in response to news of a planned retrospective of her films in Pittsburgh the following September; as quoted in Christopher Rawson "On Stage: Kate Hepburn, Richard Rauh and old Nixon" Pittsburgh Po…
“There are stereotypes of what a beautiful woman is. She struggled with that. A certain part of her life she went on that calling card. I certainly know I've come into contact with that. ‘You are too pretty,’ I'm told.”
Sherilyn Fenn (born 1965) first seen 1995 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Legendary Portrayal", by David Walstad. The Philadelphia Inquirer TV Week (USA). May 21, 1995. p. 4-5.
“There is nothing beautiful or noble about death or fear.”
Martin Firrell (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If I wanted to have an easy job I would have stayed at Porto. Beautiful blue chair, the UEFA Champions League trophy, God, and after God, me.”
José Mourinho (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Sometimes you see beautiful people with no brains. Sometimes you have ugly people who are intelligent, like scientists. Our pitch is a bit like that. From the top it's a disgrace but the ball rolls at normal speed.”
José Mourinho (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“This is nothing against Sir Alex whatsoever. After the game on Wednesday we were together in my office and we spoke and drank wine. Unfortunately it was a very bad bottle of wine and he was complaining, so when we go to Old Trafford for the second leg, on my birthday, I will take a beautiful bottle of Portuguese wine.”
José Mourinho (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Could you be The most beautiful girl in the world? Could you be? It's plain to see. You're the reason that God made a girl. Oh, yes, you are.”
Prince (musician) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I am very much interested in the so-called useless object. I mean, it takes perfect craftsmanship, beautiful material carefully measured and crafted, but at the same time it’s really useless.”
Ai Weiwei (born 1957) first seen 2012 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Ai Weiwei, interview in “Change,” Episode 1, Season Six, Art: 21—Art in the Twenty-First Century, PBS, April 2012.
“Art is realistic when it strives to express an ethical ideal. Realism is striving for truth, and truth is always beautiful. Here the aesthetic coincides with the ethical.”
Andrei Tarkovsky (1932–1986) said by 1986 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Above all, I feel that the sounds of this world are so beautiful in themselves that if only we could listen to them properly, cinema would have no need for music at all.”
Andrei Tarkovsky (1932–1986) said by 1986 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Our relationships as experimentalists with theoretical physicists should be like those with a beautiful woman – we should accept with gratitude any favours she offers, but we should not expect too much nor believe all that is said.”
Lev Artsimovich (1909–1973) said by 1973 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“As is well-known, he secured donations for Aligarh from Hindus of his own feudal class. When canvassing for their support he expressed such exemplary sentiments as that Hindus and Muslims were the ‘two eyes of the beautiful Indian bride.’ But when addressing exclusively Muslim audiences, especially political meetings, he was militant enough to threaten civil war.”
Syed Ahmed Khan (1817–1898) said by 1898 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: M.R.A. Baig, The Muslim Dilemma in India, Delhi, 1974, p. 52.
“Out of ugly, I think the most important thing to do in life is to make something beautiful.”
Johnny Weir (born 1984) first seen 1008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In: {{cite web|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124121023&ft=1&f=1008|title=
“Any future which is not beautiful is unacceptable.”
Alex Steffen (born 1968) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“No future can be beautiful which involves an economy that violates the rights of future generations, that degrades fundamental planetary systems in any way, or that fails to offer every human being a basic share of safety, dignity and happiness.”
Alex Steffen (born 1968) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The journey was a real triumph. To the Congolese, he almost seemed like an extraterrestrial apparition. The reception was very warm and soon Boudewijn was nicknamed "Bwana Kitoko", "beautiful young man". The young king had a very good feeling about his first Congo experience. Some say it was the first time he laughed in public.”
Mark Eyskens (born 1933) first seen 1955 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Baudouin and the Belgian Congo: a futile fight against “evil” Eyskens about King Baudouin's first official visit to the Belgian Congo in 1955.
“Legionary life is beautiful, not because of riches, partying or the acquisition of luxury, but because of the noble comradeship which binds all Legionaries in a sacred brotherhood of struggle.”
Corneliu Zelea Codreanu (1899–1938) said by 1938 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is not the evil itself which is horrifying about our times—it is the way we not only tolerate evil, but have made a cult of positively worshipping weakness, depravity, rottenness and evil itself. It is not the death rattle in the throat of Western civilization which is surprising; it is the fact that millions of Americans believe that the death rattle is a beautiful song!”
George Lincoln Rockwell (1918–1967) said by 1967 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“LOVE, the natural, healthy kind, is indeed what makes the world go round, and is the most beautiful, holy miracle we ever see here on this earth. BUT WITHOUT A DEADLY HATE OF THAT WHICH THREATENS WHAT WE LOVE, LOVE IS AN EMPTY WORD, A CATCHWORD FOR HIPPIES, QUEERS, AND COWARDS.”
George Lincoln Rockwell (1918–1967) said by 1967 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“What a disgrace to live at the beginning of the 20th century. … One is always influenced by one's own time. And ours is that of Sarah Bernhardt and Rostand. Things will be much better in another ten years. You will see a new art born, new and beautiful. You will see that, but I shall not. I shall be dead. But … Sarah Bernhardt will live forever, and go on playing L'AIGLON forever!”
Renée Vivien (1877–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Advertisement is an absolute necessity of modern life, and if it can be made beautiful as well as obvious, so much the better for the makers of soap and the public who are likely to wash.”
Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898) said by 1898 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The life-boat may have a tasteful bend and beautiful decoration, but these are not the qualities for which I prize it; it was my salvation from the howling sea! So the interest which a regenerate soul takes in the Bible, is founded on a personal application to the heart of the saving truth which it contains.”
James Waddel Alexander (1804–1859) said by 1859 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Bible is like a wide and beautiful landscape seen afar off, dim and confused; but a good telescope will bring it near, and spread out all its rocks and trees and flowers and v__ulant fields and winding rivers at one's very feet. That telescope is the Spirit's teaching.”
Thomas Chalmers (1780–1847) said by 1847 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Now began the part of her life where she was just very beautiful. Except for nothing. Only winners will know what this feels like. Have you ever wanted something very badly and then gotten it. Then you know that winning is many things, but it is never the thing you thought it would be.”
Miranda July (born 1974) first seen 2003 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Birthmark" in Paris Review (Spring 2003)
“No one's keeping track — no one's making of an archive of these "unimportant" things, you know… but now we have an archive … and in a way, the second there's many, it becomes proof of something, something that's so unspecific — that it's — that it's lively — to me that's really alive — that kind of half nauseous, half beautiful feeling.”
Miranda July (born 1974) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He wants to dream like a young man With the wisdom of an old man. He wants his home and security, He wants to live like a sailor at sea. Beautiful loser, where you gonna fall? You realize you just can't have it all.”
“I always said that it was going to be beautiful that Paulina [Nin] presented me as entertainer and I sang.”
Jorge Vargas González (born 1967) first seen 2004 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In La Cuarta, (4 November 2004)