Often I must speak other than I think. That is called diplomacy. ~ Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
“There is no act of treachery or meanness of which a political party is not capable; for in politics there is no honour.” ~ Vivian Grey by Benjamin Disraeli
A drunkard or a gambler may be weaned from his ways, but not a politician. ~ Phineas Redux by Anthony Trollope
He was born to be a senator. He never said anything important, and he always said it sonorously. ~ Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis
“There is no gambling like politics.” ~ Endymion by Benjamin Disraeli
“You see my kind of loyalty was loyalty to one’s country, not to its institutions or its office-holders. The country is the real thing, the substantial thing, the eternal thing; it is the thing to watch over, and care for, and be loyal to; institutions are extraneous.” ~ A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
A drunkard or a gambler may be weaned from his ways, but not a politician. ~ Phineas Redux by Anthony Trollope
From politics, it was an easy step to silence. ~ Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
“The world is wearied of statesmen; whom democracy has degraded into politicians.” ~ Lothair by Benjamin Disraeli
And he gave it for his opinion, “that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together.” ~ Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
I’m thinking about literature this Labor Day weekend. OK, who am I kidding? One look at my numerous bookshelves shows that I’m always thinking about literature.