7 of My Favourite Quotations

Posted by: Josef Essberger

A “quotation” is usually a short text – perhaps one or two sentences – written or spoken by one (usually famous) person and often repeated or at least known by others. Here are 7 of my favourite quotations, arranged (loosely) from humorous to serious. Have a look at them and try to understand them. You […]

A “quotation” is usually a short text – perhaps one or two sentences – written or spoken by one (usually famous) person and often repeated or at least known by others. Here are 7 of my favourite quotations, arranged (loosely) from humorous to serious. Have a look at them and try to understand them. You may know some of them already in your own language. Do you agree with them? You can find explanations of some of the more difficult words in English Checker at the end.

“You must come again when you have less time.” Walter Sickert to Denton Welch

“There is less to him than meets the eye.” Tallulah Bankhead

“The head cannot take in more than the seat can endure.” Winston Churchill on long speeches

“Only the insane take themselves seriously.” Max Beerbohm

“To be uncertain is uncomfortable; but to be certain is ridiculous.” Goethe

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Santayana

“When words lose their meaning, people lose their freedom.” Confucius

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English Checker

• condemned: sentenced as a punishment; forced to suffer
• endure: suffer patiently; tolerate
• insane: seriously mentally ill
• seat: a person’s buttocks

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Posted by Josef Essberger July 2008

Contributor: Josef Essberger, founder of EnglishClub. Originally from London, England, Josef is the author of several books for learners of English including English Prepositions List and Learn English in 7.

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13 comments

• Allan says:
  

  thanks for the quotation, sometimes it will inculcate in my mind what it real meaning.

• wafa mt says:
  

  thank you very much,i enjoy in them,every one of quotation was new and useful to me.i am so happy with english club every day i learn new information

• Zorica says:
  

  Ha-ha-ha… Some of them I knew already, but they are great. Good to be reminded of them from time to time! ;-)

• mariana says:
  

  Dear Sir Although I have been exploring this English Club recently, I must say that it is an interesting site. Though I couldn´t understand all these quotations,I like some of them especially that was written by Santayana. Kisses.
  Mariana

• shukrallah says:
  

  I love and enjoy reading everything in Englishclub especially the monthly news and your quotations.Thanks alot.

  shukrallah

• Linda k hollywood says:
  

  Hello everyone
  I never know about quotation when I’m reading
  the verb make me very impression with the verb.
  I could try to write no matter what because I like
  a quotation.

  First kiss is would be imprinted in my heart memory.
  Be engraved on one’s mind/heart memory.
  You are my heart and my soul my doorway and my delivery.
  My life did not begin until I know him.
  Vile spawn,evil creature,retribution.
  Consequence of one’s action.
  Human to be bad you are abyss of hell.

  Hope you are enjoyed in my quotation.

  Have a nice day
  Linda K (Hollywood)

• Linda k Hollywood says:
  

  I am forgiven for my past mistake.
  what will become of us after death?
  We do not need to seek other Conditions to be
  Happy.
  It’s a terrible thing I it was endless source of
  amusement.
  Hope that all I write the word is a quotation.

• junnieth says:
  

  I was reading the quotations, and I think they are a reality, applied to the time we are living, I enjoy them very much

• hanane says:
  

  Hullo dear Sir,
  Excuse me but it seems a so a long a holiday, longer than Maryama Ba’s SO A LONG A LETTER; I hope you are allright. let’s hear from you Sir.
  Best Regards

• Viet says:
  

  Dir Sir,

  Please explain me more detail these quotations. Thanks so much.

  Viet

• NayMyo says:
  

  Dear sir
  although i understand couple of quotations in our own language the rest are alittle bit difficult to translate in our own due
  to my poor english .

• socrates says:
  

  “No matter how bad things get you got to go on living, even if it kills you.” Shalom aleichem

• hanane says:
  

  Hello Dear Sir: I tried so hard to be to the point with the real meaning of these quotatoins but I am not sure. would you please provide us with an explanation of the meaning of each quotation and the context in which they were said. I will be so grateful to learn things from this Club