“Why should it not be the whole function of a word to denote many things?”
Source: Philosophical Papers (1979), p. 38.
“Why should it not be the whole function of a word to denote many things?”
Source: Philosophical Papers (1979), p. 38.
“Why should we take advice on sex from the pope? If he knows anything about it, he shouldn't!”
“I am an autodidact - that's why I use bigger words than I should. It's a classic sign.”
Guardian interview (2008)
                                        
                                        Preface, 2nd edition (22 July 1848) 
Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848) 
Context: I am satisfied that if a book is a good one, it is so whatever the sex of the author may be. All novels are, or should be, written for both men and women to read, and I am at loss to conceive how a man should permit himself to write anything that would be really disgraceful to a woman, or why a woman should be censured for writing anything that would be proper and becoming for a man.
                                    
“Words reproduce themselves pleasurably too.”
                                        
                                        From the ninth book, "The Book of Secrets" 
The Pillow Book
                                    
“…why did we wait for any thing? — why not seize the pleasure at once?”
                                        
                                        How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation! 
Emma (1815) 
Works, Emma
                                    
 
                            
                        
                        
                         
                            
                        
                        
                         
                            
                        
                        
                        