We understood one another better before ever I opened my mouth Patrick O'Brian More Quotes by Patrick O'Brian More Quotes From Patrick O'Brian I am in favour of leaving people alone, however imperfect their polity may seem. It appears to me that you must not tell other nations how to set their house in order; nor must you compel them to be happy. Patrick O'Brian houseorderpeople That would be locking the horse after the stable door is gone, a very foolish thing to do. Patrick O'Brian horsewould-bedoors For my own part,' said Captain Aubrey, 'I have no notion of disliking a man for his beliefs, above all if he was born with them. I find I can get along very well with Jews or even...' The P of Papists was already formed, and the word was obliged to come out as Pindoos. Patrick O'Brian captainsbeliefmen It meant that Diana had not waited for any explanation, however halting and imperfect, but had condemned him unheard; and this showed a much harder, far less affectionate woman than the Diana he had known or had thought he knew - a mythical person, no doubt created by himself. It had of course been evident from her letter, which made no reference to his; but he had not chosen to see the evidence and now it was absolutely forced upon his sight it made his eyes sting and tingle again. And deprived of his myth he felt extraordinarily lonely. Patrick O'Brian lonelyeyesight We are always the most violent against those whom we have injured. Patrick O'Brian injuredviolent ...I have had such a sickening of men in masses, and of causes, that I would not cross this room to reform parliament or prevent the union or to bring about the millennium. I speak only for myself, mind - it is my own truth alone - but man as part of a movement or a crowd is indifferent to me. He is inhuman. And I have nothing to do with nations, or nationalism. The only feelings I have - for what they are - are for men as individuals; my loyalties, such as they may be, are to private persons alone. Patrick O'Brian loyaltyfeelingsmen And she hates being managed - that is not the word I want. What is it, Maturin?' 'Manipulated.' 'Exactly. She is a dutiful girl - a great sense of duty: I think it rather stupid, but there it is - but still she finds the way her mother has been arranging and pushing and managing and angling in all this perfectly odious. You two must have had hogsheads of that grocer's claret forced down your throats. Perfectly odious: and she is obstinate - strong, if you like - under that bread-and-butter way of hers. It will take a great deal to move her; much more than the excitement of a ball. Patrick O'Brian girlstrongmother ...looking angrily at the wombat: and a moment later, 'Come now, Stephen, this is coming it pretty high: your brute is eating my hat.' 'So he is, too,' said Dr. Maturin. 'But do not be perturbed, Jack; it will do him no harm, at all. His digestive processes-- Patrick O'Brian hatsdrsmoments I am opposed to authority, that egg of misery and oppression; I am opposed to it largely for what it does to those who exercise it. Patrick O'Brian eggsdoeexercise After all a book can be represented as a conversation with one’s demon. Patrick O'Brian demonconversationbook No man born of woman has ever understood spoken Portuguese. Patrick O'Brian portuguesebornmen I sew his ears on from time to time, sure. Patrick O'Brian ears For me the process works best with no interruptions, no breaks in the steady application, no letters to be answered, very little social life, no holidays; it is therefore a form of happy imprisonment. Patrick O'Brian holidayletterslittles For a moment Jack felt the strongest inclination to snatch up his little gilt chair and beat the white-faced man down with it. Patrick O'Brian whitelittlesmen The sensation of falling into the past is not unlike that of coming home for the holidays. Patrick O'Brian holidayhomefall I know of few men over 50 that seem to me entirely human, virtually none who has long exercised authority. Patrick O'Brian authoritymenlong Touch and away, Jack?’ asked Stephen. ‘Touch and away? Do you not recall that I have important business there? Enquiries of the very first interest?’ To do with our enterprise? To do with this voyage?’ Perhaps not quite directly. Patrick O'Brian enquiryvoyagesimportant But the tale or narrative set in the past may have its particular time-free value; and the candid reader will not misunderstand me, will not suppose that I intend any preposterous comparison, when I observe that Homer was farther removed in time from Troy than I am from the Napoleonic wars; yet he spoke to the Greeks for 2,000 years and more. Patrick O'Brian warpastyears Two weevils crept from the crumbs. 'You see those weevils, Stephen?' said Jack solemnly. I do.' Which would you choose?' There is not a scrap of difference. Arcades ambo. They are the same species of curculio, and there is nothing to choose between them.' But suppose you had to choose?' Then I should choose the right-hand weevil; it has a perceptible advantage in both length and breadth.' There I have you,' cried Jack. 'You are bit - you are completely dished. Don't you know that in the Navy you must always choose the lesser of two weevils? Oh ha, ha, ha, ha! Patrick O'Brian differencestwohands Never mind manoeuvres, always go at them. Patrick O'Brian mind
