Balmain, Pierre
1914–82
1
The trick of wearing mink is to look as though you were wearing a cloth coat. The trick of wearing a cloth coat is to look as though you are wearing mink.
in
Observer
25 December 1955
Balzac, Honoré de
1799–1850
1
Man is neither good nor bad; he is born with instincts and abilities.
La Comédie Humaine
(1842) vol. 1, foreword
2
Hatred is a tonic, it makes one live, it inspires vengeance; but pity kills, it makes our weakness weaker.
La Peau de Chagrin
(1831) ch. 1
Bankhead, Tallulah
1903–68
1
Cocaine habit-forming? Of course not. I ought to know. I've been using it for years.
Tallulah
(1952)
2
I'm as pure as the driven slush.
in
Saturday Evening Post
12 April 1947
Barbour, John
c.
1320–95
1
Storys to rede ar delitabill,
Suppos that thai be nocht bot fabill.
The Bruce
(1375) bk. 1, l. 1
2
A! fredome is a noble thing!
Fredome mayse man to haiff liking.
The Bruce
(1375) bk. 1, l. 225
Barclay, Alexander
c.
1475–1552
1
The lords will alway that people note and see
Between them and servants some diversity,
Though it to them turn to no profit at all;
If they have pleasure, the servant shall have small.
Eclogues
(1514) no. 2, l. 790
Barham, R. H.
1788–1845
1
The Jackdaw sat on the Cardinal's chair!
Bishop, and abbot, and prior were there.
The Ingoldsby Legends
(First Series, 1840) "The Jackdaw of Rheims"
2
Heedless of grammar, they all cried, "That's him!"
The Ingoldsby Legends
(First Series, 1840) "The Jackdaw of Rheims"
3
Here's a corpse in the case with a sad swelled face,
And a "Crowner's Quest" is a queer sort of thing!
in later editions: "a Medical Crowner's a queer sort of thing!"
The Ingoldsby Legends
(First Series, 1840) "A Lay of St Gengulphus"