Common books

meditations
on quotations

Nothing was more characteristic . . . in the thirties than the little notebooks with black covers which he always carried with him in which he tirelessly entered in the form of quotations what daily living and reading netted him in the way of “pearls” and “coral.” On occasion he read them aloud, showed them around like items from a choice and precious collection.

Hannah Arendt


Quotation, n: The act of repeating erroneously the words of another.

Ambrose Bierce


What a good thing Adam had. When he said a good thing he knew nobody had said it before.

Mark Twain


Everything of importance has been said before by somebody who did not discover it.

Alfred North Whitehead


When a thing has been said and well, have no scruple. Take it and copy it.

Anatole France


What's the use of a good quotation if you can't change it?

Doctor Who


I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself.

Marlene Dietrich