States that rise quickly, just as all the other things of nature that are born and grow rapidly, cannot have roots and ramifications; the first bad weather kills them.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
The United Nations was not set up to be a reformatory. It was assumed that you would be good before you got in and not that being in would make you good.
—John Foster Dulles (1888–1959) American Republican Public Official, Lawyer
Nationality is the miracle of political independence; race is the principle of physical analogy.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
There’s always something fishy about the French.
—Noel Coward (1899–1973) English Dramatist, Actor, Composer
It is equality of monotony which makes the strength of the British Isles.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
The best thing I know between France and England is the sea.
—Douglas William Jerrold (1803–57) English Writer, Dramatist, Wit
God how I hate new countries: They are older than the old, more sophisticated, much more conceited, only young in a certain puerile vanity more like senility than anything.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Critic
Americans are like a rich father who wishes he knew how to give his sons the hardships that made him rich.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
The British have a remarkable talent for keeping calm, even when there is no crisis.
—Franklin P. Jones
Switzerland is simply a large, lumpy, solid rock with a thin skin of grass stretched over it.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
In dealing with Englishmen you can be sure of one thing only, that the logical solution will not be adopted.
—William Ralph Inge (1860–1954) English Anglican Clergyman, Priest, Mystic
The Irish are a fair people: They never speak well of one another.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Nations do not think, they only feel. They get their feelings at second hand through their temperaments, not their brains. A nation can be brought—by force of circumstances, not argument—to reconcile itself to any kind of government or religion that can be devised; in time it will fit itself to the required conditions; later it will prefer them and will fiercely fight for them.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts, the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art. Not one of these books can be understood unless we read the two others, but of the three the only trustworthy one is the last.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
National character is only another name for the particular form which the littleness, perversity and baseness of mankind take in every country. Every nation mocks at other nations, and all are right.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
The Canadian spirit is cautious, observant and critical where the American is assertive.
—V. S. Pritchett (1900–97) British Biographer, Memoirist, Short Story Writer, Critic
Put an Irishman on the spit and you can always get another Irishman to turn him.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The strength of a nation, especially of a republican nation, is in the intelligent and well-ordered homes of the people.
—Lydia H. Sigourney (1791–1865) American Poetaster, Author
An Englishmen thinks seated; a Frenchmen standing; an American pacing, an Irishman, afterwards.
—Austin O’Malley (1858–1932) American Aphorist, Ophthalmologist
Italians come to ruin most generally in three ways, women, gambling, and farming. My family chose the slowest one.
—Pope John XXIII (1881–1963) Italian Catholic Religious Leader, Pope
If you want to eat well in England, eat three breakfasts.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
There are few more impressive sights in the world than a Scotsman on the make.
—J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) Scottish Novelist, Dramatist
The UN is not just a product of do-gooders. It is harshly real. The day will come when men will see the U.N. and what it means clearly. Everything will be all right—you know when?. When people, just people, stop thinking of the United Nations as a weird Picasso abstraction, and see it as a drawing they made themselves.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
A Country is not a mere territory; the particular territory is only its foundation. The Country is the idea which rises upon that foundation; it is the sentiment of love, the sense of fellowship which binds together all the sons of that territory.
—Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–72) Italian Patriot, Political Leader
I am the state.
—Louis XIV of France (1638–1715) King of France
With disadvantages enough to bring him to humility, a Scotsman is one of the proudest things alive.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.
—Aristide Briand (1862–1932) French Prime Minister
The wealth and prosperity of the country are only the comeliness of the body, the fullness of the flesh and fat; but the spirit is independent of them; it requires only muscle, bone and nerve for the true exercise of its functions. We cannot lose our liberty, because we cannot cease to think.
—Humphry Davy (1778–1829) British Chemist, Science Propagandist
France has neither winter nor summer nor morals. Apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
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