Under the Microscope/Prof William Reville:This week, as a break from science, I offer you a selection of famous quotations. Many of these are adapted from Brewer's Famous Quotations by Nigel Rees (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2006), a treasure-trove of 5,000 quotations.
Woody Allen (1937- ). Film actor, writer and director. "The lion and the calf shall lie down together, but the calf won't get much sleep." In The New Republic (August 31st, 1974).
Archilochus. Greek 7th century BC poet. "The fox knows many things - the hedgehog one big thing." This probably means that, for all his cunning, the fox cannot overcome the hedgehog's single defence.
Tallulah Bankhead (1903-1968). American actress. "There's less in this than meets the eye."
Brendan Behan (1923-1964). Irish Playwright. "Critics are like eunuchs in a harem: they know how it's done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." Quoted in Quotations for Our Times by LJ Peter.
The Bible (Genesis 27:11). "Behold, Esau, my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man."
The Bible (Proverbs 26:11). "As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly."
Eubie Blake (1883-1983). American jazz musician. "If I'd known I was gonna live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." Quoted in The Observer, February 13th, 1983.
4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773). English writer and politician. "The pleasure is momentary, the position ridiculous, the expense damnable." Admirably insightful description of sexual intercourse attributed to the 4th Earl.
Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965). Conservative Prime Minister of Great Britain. "If you were my wife, I'd drink it." Reply to Lady Astor who remarked to Churchill: "If you were my husband, I'd poison your coffee."
"And you, madam, are ugly. But I shall be sober in the morning." Retort to Bessie Braddock MP, who told Churchill he was drunk.
Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881). Conservative Prime Minister Great Britain. "Many thanks; I shall lose no time in reading it." Reply to someone who sent him an unsolicited manuscript.
WC Fields (1879-1946). American comedian. "Never give a sucker an even break." Fields said this in the 1936 film Poppy. Also sometimes attributed to PT Barnum. It views a sucker as a resource to be harvested, because, if you don't, someone else will.
John Nance Garner (1868-1967). US Democratic Vice President. "[The vice-presidency] isn't worth a pitcher of warm piss."
Lyndon B Johnson (1908-1973). American Democratic President. "That Gerald Ford. He can't fart and chew gum at the same time."
Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-1784). English writer. "Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on its hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all." Quote often used to describe something that has little to recommend it.
Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1858). Danish philosopher. "Life must be lived forwards, but it can only be understood backwards."
Henry Kissinger (1923- ). American Diplomat. "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac." Comment on his reported success as a "swinger".
Lady Caroline Lamb (1785-1828). Wife of 2nd Viscount Melbourne. "Mad, bad and dangerous to know." Note in her diary after first meeting Lord Byron in 1812.
Karl Marx (1818-1883). German political theorist. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." From Marx's Critique of the Gotha Programme (1875).
HL Mencken (1880-1956). American journalist. "Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."
Benito Mussolini (1883-1945). Italian Fascist leader . "It is better to have lived one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep."
Napoleon I (1769-1821). French Emperor. "From the sublime to the ridiculous there is but one step."
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). French philosopher and mathematician. "I have made this letter longer only because I have not had time to make it shorter."
William Reville is Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Public Awareness of Science Officer at UCC - understandingscience.ucc.ie