Bernard Cornwell: Trending quotes (page 8)

“Never in my life have I seen two villages on opposite banks of a river that weren't connected by a ford.”

Bernard Cornwell

Major General Arthur Wellesley, p. 196
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Triumph (1997)

Life

“He had trampled through Italy winning victory after victory, he had smashed the Russians on the border of Switzerland and rammed bloody defeat down Austrian throats before Marengo. Marshall André Masséna, Duke of Rivoli and Prince of Essling, was not a pretty soldier, but by God, he knew how to fight, which was why, at fifty-two years old, he had been sent to retrieve the disasters besetting the emporer's armies in Spain and Portugal.”

Bernard Cornwell

Narrator, describing Marshal André Masséna, p. 265
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Battle (1995)

God , Victory , Fight

“"If you believe in a God, miss, pray now." "You don't?" "I believe in the Baker rifle and in the 1796 Pattern heavy cavalry sword, so long as you grind down the back blade so that the point don't slide off a Frog's ribs. If you you don't grind down the back blade, miss, then you might as well just beat the bastards to death with it."”

Bernard Cornwell

Captain Richard Sharpe and Miss Sarah Fry, p. 205
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Escape (2003)

Death , God

“But the implication of the psalm, is it not, is that we are sheep and that God is our shepherd? Why else would He put us in a pasture and protect us with a staff? But what I have never fully understood is why the shepherd blames the sheep when they become ill.”

Bernard Cornwell The Grail Quest

Abbott Planchard, p. 212
The Grail Quest, Heretic (2003)

God

“Unfairness existed, it always had and it always would, and the miracle, to Sharpe's eyes, was that some men like Hill and Wellesley, though they had become wealthy and privileged through unfair advantages, were nevertheless superb at what they did. […] Sharpe did not care that Sir Arthur Wellesley was the son of an aristocrat and had purchased his way up the ladder of promotion and was as cold as a lawyer's sense of charity. The long-nosed bugger knew how to win and that was what mattered.”

Bernard Cornwell

Lieutenant Richard Sharpe, p. 234
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Havoc (2003)

Men , Way , Sense

“Sharpe bellowed in anger, the war shout. They thought him weak and beaten, but he had one fight in him and they would learn what a Rifleman was in a fight.”

Bernard Cornwell

Narrator, p. 186
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Honor (1985)

War , Learning , Fight , Anger

“A man could fight bullets and bayonets, even rockets if he understood the weapon, but no man understood the invisible enemies. Sharpe wished he knew how to propitiate Fate, the soldiers' Goddess, but She was a capricious deity, without loyalty.”

Bernard Cornwell

Major Richard Sharpe, p. 311
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Enemy (1984)

Fate , Fight , Loyalty

“Can't help our damned parents which is why we have to thrash our damned children”

Bernard Cornwell

Major General Nairn, p. 21
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Enemy (1984)

Children , Parent , Help

“There's no chance of cheering him up, sir. He likes being miserable, so he does, and the bastard will get over it.”

Bernard Cornwell

Sergeant Patrick Harper to Lieutenant Robert Knowles, regarding Captain Sharpe's grumpy attitude, p. 9
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Gold (1981)

Chance

“Thank God for the hours of training, thank God that, for all its sometimes stupidity, the British army was the only army that trained its infantry with real ammunition.”

Bernard Cornwell

Narrator, p. 283
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Enemy (1984)

God , Stupidity , Training

“I'll put a word in for you, Sharpe, because a man shouldn't be disciplined for killing the enemy, but I don't suppose my help will do you any good.”

Bernard Cornwell

Brigadier General Robert Craufurd, p. 319
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Battle (1995)

Help

“What did he want? A tournament? Who does he think we are? The knights of the round bloody table? I don't know what happens to some folk. They put a sir in front of their names and their brains get addled. Fighting fair! Whoever heard of anything so daft? Fight fair and you lose.”

Bernard Cornwell The Grail Quest

Will Skeat, p. 94
The Grail Quest, The Archer's Tale/Harlequin (2000)

Thinking , Fight

“Any officer given the money to buy promotion and lucky enough to possess relations who could put him in the way of advancement was bound to rise, but even the less fortunate men who resented Wellesley's privileges were forced to admit that the young Colonel had a natural and chilling authority, and maybe, some thought, even a talent for soldiering. He was certainly dedicated enough to his chosen trade if that was any sign of talent.”

Bernard Cornwell

Narrator, commenting on Colonel Arthur Wellesley, p. 103
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Tiger (1997)

Men , Money , Way , Nature

“"Don't waste your life, Tom." "I think I already have, father." "You're just young. It seems like that when you're young. Life's nothing but joy or misery when you're young."”

Bernard Cornwell The Grail Quest

Thomas of Hookton and Father Hobbe, p. 140
The Grail Quest, The Archer's Tale/Harlequin (2000)

Life , Thinking , Joy

“"Why do they call them vaulters?" "Vaulters?" "Voltigeur, Sharpe. French for vaulter." "God knows, sir." "Because the jump like fleas, sir, when you shoot at them. But don't worry yourself about that one, sir. He's a good voltigeur, that one. He's dead."”

Bernard Cornwell

Colonel Claud Runciman, Captain Richard Sharpe, and Sergeant Patrick Harper, p. 331
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Battle (1995)

God , Dead

“The Forlorn Hope was for the brave. It may have been a courage born of desperation, or foolhardiness, but it was courage just the same.”

Bernard Cornwell

Narrator, p. 13
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Company (1982)

Hope , Courage

“My God, but I command King Ferdinand's guard and-" "And King Ferdinand, sir, is a prisoner! Which does not speak, sir, for the efficacy of his guard.”

Bernard Cornwell

Lord Kiely and Major General Arthur Wellesley, p. 218
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Battle (1995)

God

“A Marshal of France is a fine fellow, second only to the Emperor, and he wore a dark blue uniform edged with golden leaves, and his collar and shoulders were heavy with gilt decorations. A Marshal of France was given privileges, riches, and honour, but they had to be earned by answering the difficult questions.”

Bernard Cornwell

Narrator, p. 238
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Sword (1983)

Question

“They like the idea of recusing women. […] Everyone hates the bloody army till someone needs rescuing, then we're all bloody heroes and white knights.”

Bernard Cornwell

Captain William Frederickson, p. 100
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Enemy (1984)

Women , Hate , Idea

“Sharpe wanted to be liked by the men under his command. He was tempted to believe that if he was friendly and approachable, reasonable and kind, then his men would follow him more willingly. But kindness was not the wellspring of loyalty and he knew the temptation had to be resisted.”

Bernard Cornwell

Major Richard Sharpe, p. 94
Sharpe (Novel Series), Sharpe's Enemy (1984)

Men , Loyalty