“God heard the embattled nations sing and shout
"Gott strafe England" and "God save the King!"
God this, God that, and God the other thing –
"Good God!" said God, "I've got my work cut out!"”

—  J. C. Squire


On the outbreak of the First World War, from Epigrams (1916).

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 8, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "God heard the embattled nations sing and shout "Gott strafe England" and "God save the King!" God this, God that, and G…" by J. C. Squire?
J. C. Squire photo
J. C. Squire 6
British poet, writer, historian, and literary editor 1884–1958

Related quotes

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan photo

“It is true that internationalism is growing. Economists warn us that war does not pay. It is bad business. Some of us are growing pacifist by policy, though not by conviction. The spirit of internationalism is but skin-deep. Except a small minority in each country who remained heroically faithful to its principles, the rest sacrificed their humanity at the altar of their country in the last war. Even the dignitaries of the Church proved themselves to be of the school of Mephistopheles, "who built God a church and laughed his word to scorn." Churches were turned into recruiting offices. The fanatic appeals of all sides to the Almighty must have confused God himself, and the frame of mind in which the onlookers were is well expressed in J. C. Squire's quatrain : —
: God heard the embattled nations sing and shout
"Gott strafe England" and "God save the King!"
God this, God that, and God the other thing –
"Good God!" said God, "I've got my work cut out!"
It is true that we have the League of Nations, but it is only a mechanical frame and the soul has still to grow into its body. The spirit of ill-will and distrust is widespread. Internationalism is only an idea cherished by a few and not a part of human psychology. Ten years after the peace, the sky is not clearer than it was in August, 1914. Europe has a million more men under arms than there were before the war.”

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888–1975) Indian philosopher and statesman who was the first Vice President and the second President of India

Kalki : or The Future of Civilization (1929)

Henry Carey photo

“God save our gracious king!
Long live our noble king!
God save the king!”

Henry Carey (1687–1743) English composer and playwright

"God Save the King" (1730).

William the Silent photo

“God save the King!”

William the Silent (1533–1584) stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht, leader of the Dutch Revolt

Statement in Antwerp, as quoted in William the Silent (1897) by Frederic Harrison, p. 34

Mitt Romney photo

“That pledge says "under God". I will not take "God" out of the name of our platform. I will not take "God" off our coins, and I will not take God out of my heart. We're a nation bestowed by God.”

Mitt Romney (1947) American businessman and politician

2012

Archibald Macleish photo

“If God is God, he is not good. If God is good, he is not God.”

Archibald Macleish (1892–1982) American poet and Librarian of Congress

Dialogue from MacLeish's play J.B. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.B._(play), an adaptation of the Bible's Book of Job, also quoted in The God Problem: How a Godless Cosmos Creates (2012) by Howard Bloom

Joseph Heller photo

“The God I don't believe in is a good God, a just God, a merciful God. He's not the mean and stupid God you make him out to be.”

Joseph Heller book Catch-22

Catch-22 (1961)

Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet photo

“O God, if there be a God, save my soul, if I have a soul.”

Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet (1688–1740) politician, died 1740

Quoting for posterity the remarks of an unnamed soldier at the Battle of Blenheim (13 August 1704), as reported by William King in Political and Literary Anecdotes of His Own Times http://books.google.com/books?id=ShklAAAAMAAJ&q=%22O+God+if+there+be+a+God+save+my+soul+if+I+have+a+soul%22&pg=PA8#v=onepage (1818)

Bill Hybels photo

“The reality is that our God is good. It's in his nature to be good; it's who he is--a giving God, a blessing God, an encouraging God, a nurturing God, an empowering God, a loving God. This is the God who willingly waits for your call.”

Bill Hybels (1951) American writer

Too Busy Not to Pray (2008, InterVarsity Press)

Graham Greene photo

“God save us always," I said, "from the innocent and the good.”

Graham Greene book The Quiet American

Pt. I, ch. 1, pg 15
Source: The Quiet American (1955)

“I haven't got any special religion this morning. My God is the God of Walkers. If you walk hard enough, you probably don't need any other god.”

Bruce Chatwin (1940–1989) English novelist

Related topics