The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (289 page)

Macmillan, Harold
1894–1986

1
Let us be frank about it: most of our people have never had it so good.
"You Never Had It So Good" was the Democratic Party slogan during the 1952 US election campaign

speech at Bedford, 20 July 1957

2
I thought the best thing to do was to settle up these little local difficulties, and then turn to the wider vision of the Commonwealth.
on leaving for a Commonwealth tour, following the resignation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and others

statement at London airport, 7 January 1958

3
The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and, whether we like it or not, this growth of [African] national consciousness is a political fact.

speech at Cape Town, 3 February 1960

4
There are three bodies no sensible man directly challenges: the Roman Catholic Church, the Brigade of Guards and the National Union of Mineworkers.

in
Observer
22 February 1981.

5
First of all the Georgian silver goes, and then all that nice furniture that used to be in the saloon. Then the Canalettos go.
on privatization; often quoted as, "Selling off the family silver"

speech to the Tory Reform Group, 8 November 1985

6
Events, dear boy. Events.
when asked what his biggest problem was

attributed

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McNamara, Robert
1916–

1
I don't object to it's being called "McNamara's War"…It is a very important war and I am pleased to be identified with it and do whatever I can to win it.

in
New York Times
25 April 1964

2
We…acted according to what we thought were the principles and traditions of this nation. We were wrong. We were terribly wrong.
of the conduct of the Vietnam War by the Kennedy and Johnson administrations

in
Daily Telegraph
(electronic edition) 10 April 1995

[McNamara]

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MacNeice, Louis
1907–63

1
It's no go the merrygoround, it's no go the rickshaw,
All we want is a limousine and a ticket for the peepshow.

"Bagpipe Music" (1938)

2
The glass is falling hour by hour, the glass will fall for ever,
But if you break the bloody glass you won't hold up the weather.

"Bagpipe Music" (1938)

3
So they were married—to be the more together—
And found they were never again so much together,

"Les Sylphides" (1941)

4
I am not yet born; O fill me
With strength against those who would freeze my
humanity.

"Prayer Before Birth" (1944)

5
Let them not make me a stone and let them not spill me,
Otherwise kill me.

"Prayer Before Birth" (1944)

6
By a high star our course is set,
Our end is Life. Put out to sea.

"Thalassa" (1964)

7
I would have a poet able-bodied, fond of talking, a reader of the newspapers, capable of pity and laughter, informed in economics, appreciative of women, involved in personal relationships, actively interested in politics, susceptible to physical impressions.

Modern Poetry
(1938)

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Madan, Geoffrey
1895–1947

1
The great tragedy of the classical languages is to have been born twins.

Geoffrey Madan's Notebooks
(1981)

2
The dust of exploded beliefs may make a fine sunset.

Livre sans nom: Twelve Reflections
(privately printed 1934) no. 12

[Madan]

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