Winston Churchill

I’m just preparing my impromptu remarks.

I do not hold that we should rearm in order to fight. I hold that we should rearm in order to parley.

Opening amenities are often opening inanities.

Too often the strong, silent man is silent only because he does not know what to say, and is reputed strong only because he has remained silent.

Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, neverin nothing, great or small, large or pettynever give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.

From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.

I went to the Bach Choir concert and heard Mozart’s Requiem. I did not rise warmly to it. Then I heard an extract from Parsifal which I disliked very much. If Bach wriggles, Wagner writhes…

Clever tyrants are never punished.

Write without pay until somebody offers to pay you. If nobody offers within three years, sawing wood is what you were intended for.

Repartee is something we think of twenty-four hours too late.

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.

Be present in all things and thankful for all things.

Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.

He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still.

Women are like tea bags. You never know how strong they are until they are in hot water.

A am a great friend of public amusements, they keep people from vice.

I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I’ll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.

Artists must be sacrificed to their art.

Security will produce danger.

A virtue to be serviceable must, like gold, be alloyed with some commoner, but more durable alloy.