The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (461 page)
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Authors: Elizabeth Knowles
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Wilder, Billy
1906–2002
1906–2002
1
Hindsight is always twenty-twenty.
Hindsight is always twenty-twenty.
J. R. Columbo
Wit and Wisdom of the Moviemakers
(1979) ch. 7
Wilder, Thornton
1897–1975
1897–1975
1
Literature is the orchestration of platitudes.
Literature is the orchestration of platitudes.
in
Time
12 January 1953
Wilensky, Robert
1951–
1951–
1
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.
in
Mail on Sunday
16 February 1997 "Quotes of the Week".
Wilhelm II
(
"Kaiser Bill"
) 1859–1941
(
"Kaiser Bill"
) 1859–1941
1
We have…fought for our place in the sun and have won it. It will be my business to see that we retain this place in the sun unchallenged, so that the rays of that sun may exert a fructifying influence upon our foreign trade and traffic.
We have…fought for our place in the sun and have won it. It will be my business to see that we retain this place in the sun unchallenged, so that the rays of that sun may exert a fructifying influence upon our foreign trade and traffic.
speech in Hamburg, 18 June 1901; in
The Times
20 June 1901.
Wilkes, John
1727–97
1727–97
1
earl of sandwich
: 'Pon my soul, Wilkes, I don't know whether you'll die upon the gallows or of the pox.
wilkes
: That depends, my Lord, whether I first embrace your Lordship's principles, or your Lordship's mistresses.
earl of sandwich
: 'Pon my soul, Wilkes, I don't know whether you'll die upon the gallows or of the pox.
wilkes
: That depends, my Lord, whether I first embrace your Lordship's principles, or your Lordship's mistresses.
Charles Petrie
The Four Georges
(1935); probably apocryphal
Willard, Emma Hart
1787–1870
1787–1870
1
Rocked in the cradle of the deep.
Rocked in the cradle of the deep.
title of song (1840), inspired by a prospect of the Bristol Channel
William III
(
William of Orange
) 1650–1702
(
William of Orange
) 1650–1702
1
"Do you not see your country is lost?" asked the Duke of Buckingham. "There is one way never to see it lost" replied William, "and that is to die in the last ditch."
Every bullet has its billet.
"Do you not see your country is lost?" asked the Duke of Buckingham. "There is one way never to see it lost" replied William, "and that is to die in the last ditch."
Bishop Gilbert Burnet
History of My Own Time
(1838 ed.)
Every bullet has its billet.
John Wesley
Journal
(1827) 6 June 1765
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