B Quotes
Browse famous quotes beginning with B. This page is a child index of the full Popular Quotes A-Z directory.
“But before all else a work of art is the creation of love. Love for the subject first and for the medium second. Love is the fundamental necessity underlying the need to create, underlying the emotion that gives it form, and from which grows the unfinished product that is presented to the world. Love is the general criterion by which the rare photograph is judged. It must contain it to be not less than the best of which the photographer is capable.”
“But before and after the Mongol upheaval, the Khazars sent many offshoots into the unsubdued Slavonic lands, helping ultimately to build up the great Jewish centers of eastern Europe.”
Source: A Social and Religious History of the Jews
“But before any great things are accomplished, a memorable change must be made in the system of Education and knowledge must become so general as to raise the lower ranks of Society nearer to the higher. The Education of a Nation, instead of being confined to a few schools & Universities, for the instruction of the few, must become the National Care and expence, for the information of the Many.”
Source: Papers of John Adams, Volume 18: December 1785 - January 1787
“But before any of the small appliances who may be listening to this tale should begin to think that they might do the same thing, let them be warned: ELECTRICITY IS VERY DANGEROUS. Never play with old batteries! Never put your plug in a strange socket! And if you are in any doubt about the voltage of the current where you are living, ask a major appliance.”
Source: The brave little toaster: a bedtime story for small appliances
“But before Derby go, would they mind telling the rest of the Premier League - the league which it has debased with its pathetically-inadequate presence for the past 12 months - where the money has gone? You know, the £30m or so in prize money that every team, even the one at the bottom of the table from August to May, automatically receives by being in the Premier League... So what happened to that money? Or put another way, why was such a meaningless fraction of it spent on recruiting new players? It's one thing not to compete; it's quite another not to even attempt to do so.”
“But before either of them could move a sudden blast of energy shattered the car's rear window, sending glass fragments soaring through the morning air in a lethal wave of sparkling terror.”
Source: A Dark of Endless Days
“But before examining this point [the third Meditation: 'the Existence of God'] more carefully and investigating other truths which may be derived from it, I should like to pause here and spend some time in the contemplation of God; to reflect on his attributes, and to gaze with wonder and adoration on the beauty of this immense light, so far as the eye of my darkened intellect can bear it. For just as we believe through faith that the supreme happiness of the next life consists solely in the contemplation of the divine majesty, so experience tells us that this same contemplation, albeit much less perfect, enables us to know the greatest joy of which we are capable of in this life.”
“But before he could either comfort me or commit further acts of violence upon my person, I spun away from him and made my drama queen moment complete by running away.”
Source: Hex Hall
“But before he leaped away he asked, “Still best friends, right?”
A soft smile curled her lips, and her heart pulled back into place.
“Forever.”
Source: Nightfall
“But before he left, he asked, “Still best friends, right?”
A soft smile curled her lips, and her heart pull back into its place.
“Forever.”
Source: Nightfall
“But before he went loopy he was the life and soul of the party," said Fred. "He used to down an entire bottle of firewhiskey, then run onto the dance floor, hoist up his robes, and start pulling bunches of flowers out of his--" Yes, he sounds like a real charmer," said Hermione, while Harry roared with laughter. Never married, for some reason," said Ron.”
“But before I could pull back onto the highway, the blue and red flashing lights of a police cruiser lit up behind me. I watched as the officer, wearing a mask, approached.
He motioned for me to put on a mask and open my window. How could I put on a mask? I didn’t have one. I mouthed, no mask.
He pulled one out of his uniform jacket pocket. One of those despicable thin blue paper masks. Now what the hell good was that going to do either of us?”
Source: Deception: A Jack Ludefance Novel
“But before looking to the future, let's glance back at the road we've traveled these past two years because that is the source of much of the optimism we are all feeling about the future.”
“But before, not so long ago - my own rose from prom still OK on the mirror, dried but not a corpse - you were just Ed Slaterton, jocky hero, handsome in the student newspaper and star of a million strands of gossip. Now Annette was a person to me, standing right there, and not just an oh-my-God-have-you-heard, and I tried to put it together in my head, the print and the negative, the boyfriend and the celebrity shadow, like Theodora Sire sat next to me in history, borrowing pencils, but was still a movie star above my bed. Because as you came out of the dark to me, you were the boy I was kissing and wanted to kiss more, back to find me at a party like anybody might do, but you were Ed Slaterton too, and not the cad you are now, but just Ed Slaterton, co-captain, with a beer in your hand and Jillian Beach on your arm.”
Source: Why We Broke Up
“But before she could speak another word, he crushed his mouth against hers.
It was so unexpected that she hadn't the chance to even think of pushing him away. His body pressed her firmly against the rough cave wall. His hands slid down to her waist to pull her closer to him.
And just like that, with his proximity, with his kiss, he managed to fill her every sense. He was smoke from the campfire, he was leaves and moss and the night itself.
There was nothing gentle in the rebel's kiss, nothing sweet or kind. It was like nothing she'd ever experience before, and so very dangerous—every bit as deadly as the kiss of an arrow.
Finally, he pulled back just a little, his dark eyes glazed as if half drunk.
"Princess..." He cupped her face between his hands, his breath ragged.
Her lips felt bruised. "I suppose that's how Paelsians show their anger and frustration?”
Source: Rebel Spring
“But before she had finished the question, she realised she already knew the answer.”
Source: The Midnight Library
“But before that day it felt like at least I had an ally on this boat. Now I have nothing. Well, I have a fat baby sea monster. But Bao doesn't tell jokes, and somehow I need that.
I hate how I need that.”
Source: The Abyss Surrounds Us
“But before the man could reach the door, there was a knock, like one that happens to precipitate a courtship meeting for two punctuation marks that are going out to dinner and one really doesn’t like the restaurant, but goes anyway because they’re a comma dating.”
Source: The Satyrist...And Other Scintillating Treats
“But before the sword could fall, there was a flash of black, a shadow rising from a hollow in the ground. Orga twined around Taran's feet, and he staggered, falling onto one knee. His sword sliced harmlessly through the air by Wendell's shoulder.
"What's this?" Taran demanded. Then, to my astonishment, he added in a tone of affection, "Betrayal? I kept this one fed during your absence, Prince. I have always liked cats. It seems she has changed her mind about me, though."
"Orga cares even less for my enemies than I do," Wendell said unevenly. "After this, you can expect her to spend the rest of her days orchestrating your demise.”
Source: Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales
“But before we can radically reshape the world, we need to shop.”
Source: Paper Towns
“But before we can treat, we must believe. Believe all is not lost for you and me and our society. Believe in the possibility that we can strive to be antiracist from this day forward. Believe in the possibility that we can transform our societies to be antiracist from this day forward. Racist power is not godly. Racist policies are not indestructible. Racial inequities are not inevitable. Racist ideas are not natural to the human mind.”
Source: How to Be an Antiracist
“But before we die, how shall we live? I say with hope and dignity; and if premature death is the result, that death has a meaning reactionary suicide can never have. It is the price of self-respect.”
“But before we face experience, that miserable enemy, let us have some more innocence, just for a while.”
Source: Experience
“But before we were mothers, we have been, first of all, women, with actual bodies and actual minds.”
Source: Of woman born motherhood as experience and institution
“But before you set out to make your mark, you should ask yourself, "For whom will this be done?”
“But before you start pointing fingers, let me ask you: is what I did really so bad? So bad I deserved to die? So bad I deserved to die like that?
Is what I did really so much worse than what anybody else does?
Is it really so much worse than what you do?
Think about it.”
Source: Before I Fall
“But beginners to the World Economics Forum have to understand there is no single Davos experience, and there is no single Davos community either. There are numerous tribes who interact only at a minimal level.”
“But behavior in the human being is sometimes a defense, a way of concealing motives and thoughts, as language can be a way of hiding your thoughts and preventing communication.”
“But behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begin.”
Source: For One More Day
“But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begins.”
Source: For One More Day
“But behind it all, we can't truly know which men are harmless. And the cost of being wrong is high.”
Source: Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger
“But behind Nall’s abandoned face he was sinking, as if he held a stone that he would not let go of though it dragged him under.”
Source: Listening at the Gate
“but bein alive & bein a woman & bein colored is a metaphysical
dilemma/ i havent conquered yet/ do you see the point
my spirit is too ancient to understand the separation of soul & gender/ my love is too delicate to have thrown back on my face
my love is too delicate to have thrown back on my face
my love is too beautiful to have thrown back on my face
my love is too sanctified to have thrown back on my face
my love is too magic to have thrown back on my face
my love is too saturday nite to have thrown back on my face
my love is too complicated to have thrown back on my face
my love is too music to have thrown back on my face”
Source: For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf
“But being a teenager is one good day of being a superhero, followed by a hundred days of being self-conscious about every little damn thing. It's one big, selfish moment when you don't give a shit about other people's opinions, but you still want your friends to love who you are and what you do.”
Source: Running with Lions
“But being able to talk to so many patients from so many walks of life gives a tremendous window into people's lives. This is not to say I want to write about individual patients, but I think that after listening to the concerns of people who are so different from me, I can more realistically portray characters who are so different from me.”
“But being alone was also a closed loop. A loop with a slipknot, say. The loop could be small or large, but it always returned to itself.
You had to untie the knot, finally. Open the loop and then everything sank in. And everyone.
Then you could see what was true--that separateness had always been the illusion. A simple trick of flesh.”
Source: Dinosaurs
“But being an American woman married to an Arab guy - and a Muslim to boot! - put me in a different category. People would open up, and tell me things that they would never tell another journalist, no matter how persistent.”
“But being confident you are right is not the same as being right.”
Source: Think Like a Freak
“But being energetic in my playing is something I've always thought was the right thing to do. Like I'm never forcing it, like "My God, I've gotta play so hard tonight!"”
“But, being Himself at once God and man, His flesh and soul were and are holy - and beyond holy. God is holy, just as He was and is and shall be, and the Virgin is immaculate, without spot or stain, and so, too, was that rib which was taken from Adam. However, the rest of humanity, even though they are His brothers and kin according to the flesh, yet remained even as they were, of dust, and did not immediately become holy and sons of God.”
Source: On the Mystical Life: The Ethical Discourses : On Virtue and Christian Life Vol. 2
“But being honest in my work and life has kind of set me free. I'm so much more than my pain. Oh my god, I sound like my therapist! Call her, she can vouch that I'm doing great.”
“But being in a relationship doesn’t mean one has to marry.
Marriage is not always the culmination of any relationship.”
Source: Love's Journey
“But being in the closet uniquely assisted me in politics. From my first run for the state legislature until my election as governor, all too often I was not leading but following my best guess at public opinion.”
“But being is making; not only large things, a family, a book, a business; but the shape we give this afternoon, a conversation between friends, a meal.”
Source: Music Like Dirt
“But being on location and shooting, whether its in Puerto Rico or Atlanta, it always reminds me of how really cool my job can be. Interacting with the fans is one of the best parts of it.”
“But being overborne with numbers, and nobody daring to face about, stretching out his hands to heaven, [Romulus] prayed to Jupiter to stop the army, and not to neglect but maintain the Roman cause, now in extreme danger. The prayer was no sooner made, than shame and respect for their king checked many; the fears of the fugitives changed suddenly into confidence.”
Source: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans: Top Biography
“But being sorry doesn’t change anything, does it?”
Source: Anything Could Happen
“But, being that I have always been rather awkward and shy around girls, especially those I liked, whenever I tried talking to them, it’s hardly any wonder that I never got very far. I would simply start to stammer and stutter even before I could properly say hello. In fact, it’s of my opinion that, to them, I must have come across seeming a bit retarded.”
Source: Sukiyaki
“But being the mirrors for each other's souls has a cost: by the time they part from each other, the individuals in the mating pair have become indistinguishable. Before their merger, they each yearned for the other; as they part, they part from the self. The very quality that attracted them to each other is also, inevitably, destroyed in their union.”
Source: The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories
“but BEing time is never wasted time. When we are BEing, not only are we collaborating with chronological time, but we are touching on kairos, and are freed from the normal restrictions of time.”
Source: Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art