As she lay dying, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour — the official chief mistress of Louis XV, King of France — summoned her last strength and called to God, "Wait a second," as she dabbed her cheeks with rouge. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes beauty death vanity royalty France Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
More quotations from Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes During the contest for the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination, John F. Kennedy visited a mine in West Virginia. "Is it true you're the son of one of our wealthiest men?" asked one of the miners there. Kennedy admitted that this was true. "Is it true that you've never wanted for anything and had everything you wanted?" "I guess so," Kennedy replied. "Is it true you've never done a day's work with your hands all your life?" Kennedy nodded. "Well, let me tell you this," said the miner. "You haven't missed a thing. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email A visitor to Niels Bohr's country cottage, noticing a horseshoe hanging on the wall, teased the eminent scientist about this ancient superstition. "Can it be that you, of all people, believe it will bring you luck?" "Of course not," replied Bohr, "but I understand it brings you luck whether you believe or not. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email Among the sages whom [Ralph Waldo] Emerson sought out on his visit to Europe was the notoriously reticent and difficult Thomas Carlyle. He called on Carlyle one evening and was given a pipe, while his host took one himself. They sat together smoking in perfect silence until bedtime, and on parting shook hands most cordially, congratulating each other on the fruitful time they had enjoyed together. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email Censuring Joseph Stalin at a public meeting, Soviet premier Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev was interrupted by a voice from the audience. "You were one of Stalin's colleagues," shouted the heckler. "Why didn't you stop him?" "Who said that?" roared Khrushchev. There was an agonizing silence in the room. Nobody dared moved a muscle. Then, in a quiet voice, Khrushchev said, "Now you know why. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes silence quiet Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email Santayana inherited his simple and unostentatious habits from his father. Once he asked the senior Santayana why he always traveled third class. "Because there's no fourth class," his father said. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
During the contest for the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination, John F. Kennedy visited a mine in West Virginia. "Is it true you're the son of one of our wealthiest men?" asked one of the miners there. Kennedy admitted that this was true. "Is it true that you've never wanted for anything and had everything you wanted?" "I guess so," Kennedy replied. "Is it true you've never done a day's work with your hands all your life?" Kennedy nodded. "Well, let me tell you this," said the miner. "You haven't missed a thing. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
A visitor to Niels Bohr's country cottage, noticing a horseshoe hanging on the wall, teased the eminent scientist about this ancient superstition. "Can it be that you, of all people, believe it will bring you luck?" "Of course not," replied Bohr, "but I understand it brings you luck whether you believe or not. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
Among the sages whom [Ralph Waldo] Emerson sought out on his visit to Europe was the notoriously reticent and difficult Thomas Carlyle. He called on Carlyle one evening and was given a pipe, while his host took one himself. They sat together smoking in perfect silence until bedtime, and on parting shook hands most cordially, congratulating each other on the fruitful time they had enjoyed together. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
Censuring Joseph Stalin at a public meeting, Soviet premier Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev was interrupted by a voice from the audience. "You were one of Stalin's colleagues," shouted the heckler. "Why didn't you stop him?" "Who said that?" roared Khrushchev. There was an agonizing silence in the room. Nobody dared moved a muscle. Then, in a quiet voice, Khrushchev said, "Now you know why. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes silence quiet Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
Santayana inherited his simple and unostentatious habits from his father. Once he asked the senior Santayana why he always traveled third class. "Because there's no fourth class," his father said. —Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
More quotations tagged with “vanity” It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. —Charlotte Bronte action vanity tranquillity Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions. —Mark Twain perception man vanity impertinence Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email The truest characters of ignorance are vanity and pride and arrogance. —Samuel Butler ignorance character vanity price arrogance Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. —Charlotte Bronte action vanity tranquillity Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions. —Mark Twain perception man vanity impertinence Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email
The truest characters of ignorance are vanity and pride and arrogance. —Samuel Butler ignorance character vanity price arrogance Copy link Share Facebook X / Twitter Tumblr Email