from Nary
These classic insults are from an era before the English language
got boiled down to 4-letter words.
The exchange between Churchill & Lady Astor:
She said, “If you were my husband I’d give you poison.”
He said, “If you were my wife, I’d drink it.”
A member of Parliament to Disraeli:
“Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease.”
“That depends, Sir,” said Disraeli, “whether I embrace your policies or your mistress.”
“He had delusions of adequacy.” - Walter Kerr
“He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” - Winston Churchill
“I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.” Clarence Darrow
“He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.” - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).
“Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I’ll waste no time reading it.” - Moses Hadas
“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” - Mark Twain
“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends..” - Oscar Wilde
“I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend…. if you have one.” - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
“Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second…. if there is one.” - Winston Churchill, in response.
“I feel so miserable without you; it’s almost like having you here.” - Stephen Bishop
“He is a self-made man and worships his creator.” - John Bright
“I’ve just learned about his illness. Let’s hope it’s nothing trivial.” - Irvin S. Cobb
“He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others.” - Samuel Johnson
“He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.” - Paul Keating
“In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily.” - Charles, Count Talleyrand
“He loves nature in spite of what it did to him.” - Forrest Tucker
“Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?” - Mark Twain
“His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” - Mae West
“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go..” - Oscar Wilde
“He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts… for support rather than illumination.” - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
“He has Van Gogh’s ear for music.” - Billy Wilder
“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn’t it.” - Groucho Marx
I do believe that you were educated beyond your intelligence…as told to me by Harry Clarke
And this was written by a composer as a reply to a critic.
I am sitting in the smallest room in my house. I have your review before me. In a moment it will be behind me.
I was introduced to a Navaho Indian by a Doctor in Grants New Mexico. The Doctor told the Indian much to my displeasure that I have a Ph.D. Staring me in the eye, the Indian responded “Around here that means post-hole digger”.
I, for one, now have a surprising, unforeseen appreciation for Wayne Durst. I trust this is a momentary lapse on my part.
Lady Asquith said of Churchill “But to Winston Churchill everything under the sun was new–seen and appraised as on the first day of creation.”
I’ve always like this quality in Churchill because this is the way you have to be if you are creative and discovery oriented.
John-
You can get a BS degree, and everyone knows what BS is
You can then get an MS which is More of the Same
Then you get a PhD, whcih is Piled Higher and Deeper.
Glad you are with us, doubtful. Got anything original?
“Life is tough… it’s tougher when you’re stupid.” -John Wayne
“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.” Sir Winston Churchill
” Never confuse movement with action.” Ernest Hemingway
“The Greatest Enemy Of Knowledge Is Not Ignorance, But The Illusion Of Knowledge” - Dr. Hawking