“Lesson one: If you're ever in a beautiful cathedral, take your hat off!”
Ben Kowalewicz (1975) musician
From "The Diary of Billy Talent":
A collection of quotes on the topic of hat, likeness, doing, use.
“Lesson one: If you're ever in a beautiful cathedral, take your hat off!”
Ben Kowalewicz (1975) musician
From "The Diary of Billy Talent":
Hubert Selby Jr. Requiem for a Dream
Source: Requiem for a Dream
Chuck Palahniuk book Lullaby
Source: Lullaby (2002), Chapter 3
Context: Old George Orwell got it backward. Big Brother isn't watching. He's singing and dancing. He's pulling rabbits out of a hat. Big Brother’s busy holding your attention every moment you're awake. He's making sure you're always distracted. He's making sure you're fully absorbed. He's making sure your imagination withers. Until it's as useful as your appendix. He's making sure your attention is always filled. And this being fed, it's worse than being watched. With the world always filling you, no one has to worry about what's in your mind. With everyone's imagination atrophied, no one will ever be a threat to the world.
“I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life.”
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769–1852) British soldier and statesman
When asked what he thought of the first Reformed Parliament, as quoted in Words on Wellington (1889) by Sir William Fraser, p. 12.
Jopie Huisman (1922–2000) Dutch painter
translation, Fons Heijnsbroek, 2018
version in original Dutch / citaat van Jopie Huisman, in het Nederlands: Door de jaren heen heb ik van alles en nog wat bewaard aan dingen en voorwerpen die ik in mijn leven in de handel tegenkwam, als ze gevoelswaarde voor me hadden. Altijd eenvoudig gebruiksgoed en gereedschap van de boer, de smid, de timmerman, de bakker enzovoorts. Dingen waarin ik de strijd om het bestaan het duidelijkst weerspiegeld zag vond ik het mooist.. ..afgetrapte oude schoenen, broeken, jassen, hoeden en kindervestjes, die ik in de vodden vond, vaak tot in den treure versteld en opgelapt.
Source: Jopie de Verteller' (2010) - postumous, p. 19
“I don't know what Mario will look like next; maybe he will wear metallic clothing with a red hat.”
Shigeru Miyamoto (1952) Japanese video game designer and producer
1991, before the release of Super Mario 64.
G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English mystery novelist and Christian apologist
Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton : The Illustrated London News, 1905-1907 (1986), p. 191
Ozzy Osbourne (1948) English heavy metal vocalist and songwriter
[Laughs] Don't get me wrong, he's a great player. He plays like a motherfucker! <br class="br">Revolver interview; as quoted in "Ozzy Osbourne "Says Ex-GUNS N' ROSES Guitarist Buckethead Auditioned For His Solo Band" http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ozzy-osbourne-says-ex-guns-n-roses-guitarist-buckethead-auditioned-for-his-solo-band/, Blabbermouth.net, January 5, 2005
Robert F. Kennedy (1925–1968) American politician and brother of John F. Kennedy
Source: Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Jared Diamond book Guns, Germs, and Steel
Source: Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
“Hat = wizard, wizard = hat. Everything else is frippery.”
Terry Pratchett book Night Watch
Source: Night Watch
Miyamoto Musashi (1584–1645) Japanese martial artist, writer, artist
Go Rin No Sho (1645), The Fire Book
H.P. Lovecraft (1890–1937) American author
Letter to C.L. Moore (c. mid-October 1936), quoted in "H.P. Lovecraft, a Life" by S.T. Joshi, p. 566
Non-Fiction, Letters
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) Genevan philosopher
On the Subject and Form of This Writing; translated by Judith R. Bush, Christopher Kelly, Roger D. Masters
Dialogues: Rousseau Judge of Jean-Jacques (published 1782)
Matthew Perry (actor) (1969) American actor
Newsday staff (September 13, 2002) "START / Fast Chat Matthew Perry", Newsday, Newsday Inc., p. D03.
Edvard Munch (1863–1944) Norwegian painter and printmaker
written in Saint Cloud, 1889
Quotes from his text: 'Saint Cloud Manifesto', Munch (1889): as quoted in Edvard Much – behind the scream, Sue Prideaux; Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2007, pp. 120 -121
1880 - 1895
Slash (musician) (1965) British-American musician and songwriter
Interview with Rock Guitar Player Magazine, 2003.
Friedrich Schiller Wallenstein
Act IV, sc. v, Kellermeister (Master of the Cellar)
Wallenstein (1798), Part I - Die Piccolomini (The Piccolomini)
Leonardo DiCaprio (1974) American actor and film producer
2005
http://www.flixster.com/actor/leonardo-di-caprio/leonardo-dicaprio-quotes
Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) Finnish architect and designer
Alvar Aalto, quoted in: Bruce Newlands The Art of Building http://www.cicstart.org/userfiles/file/IR9_28-38.pdf, cicstart.org
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
2017, Farewell Address (January 2017)
Lewis Carroll book Sylvie and Bruno
and some "Taxes!", but no one seemed to know what it was they really wanted.
Opening lines
Sylvie and Bruno (1889)
H.P. Lovecraft (1890–1937) American author
Letter to Woodburn Harris (25 February-1 March 1929), in Selected Letters II, 1925-1929 edited by August Derleth and Donald Wandrei, pp. 288-289
Non-Fiction, Letters
Context: About my own attitude toward ethics—I thought I made it plain that I object only to (a) grotesquely disproportionate indignations and enthusiasms, (b) illogical extremes involving a reductio ad absurdum, and (c) the nonsensical notion that "right" and "wrong" involve any principles more mystical and universal than those of immediate expedience (with the individual's own comfort as a criterion) on the other hand. I believe I was careful to specify that I do not advocate vice and crime, but that on the other hand I have a marked distaste for immoral and unlawful acts which contravene the harmonious traditions and standards of beautiful living developed by a culture during its long history. This, however, is not ethics but aesthetics—a distinction which you are almost alone in considering negligible. … So far as I am concerned—I am an aesthete devoted to harmony, and to the extraction of the maximum possible pleasure from life. I find by experience that my chief pleasure is in symbolic identification with the landscape and tradition-stream to which I belong—hence I follow the ancient, simple New England ways of living, and observe the principles of honour expected of a descendant of English gentlemen. It is pride and beauty-sense, plus the automatic instincts of generations trained in certain conduct-patterns, which determine my conduct from day to day. But this is not ethics, because the same compulsions and preferences apply, with me, to things wholly outside the ethical zone. For example, I never cheat or steal. Also, I never wear a top-hat with a sack coat or munch bananas in public on the streets, because a gentleman does not do those things either. I would as soon do the one as the other sort of thing—it is all a matter of harmony and good taste—whereas the ethical or "righteous" man would be horrified by dishonesty yet tolerant of course personal ways. If I were farming in your district I certainly would assist my neighbours—both as a means of promoting my standing in the community, and because it is good taste to be generous and accommodating. Likewise with the matter of treating the pupils in a school class. But this would not be through any sense of inner compulsion based on principles dissociated from my personal welfare and from the principle of beauty. It would be for the same reason that I would not dress eccentrically or use vulgar language. Pure aesthetics, aside from the personal-benefit element; and concerned with emotions of pleasure versus disgust rather than of approval versus indignation.
Voltaire (1694–1778) French writer, historian, and philosopher
Voltaire's account of meeting the Quaker Andrew Pit
The History of the Quakers (1762)
Context: He advanced toward me without moving his hat, or making the least inclination of his body; but there appeared more real politeness in the open, humane air of his countenance, than in drawing one leg behind the other, and carrying that in the hand which is made to be worn on the head. "Friend," said he, "I perceive thou art a stranger, if I can do thee any service thou hast only to let me know it." "Sir," I replied, bowing my body, and sliding one leg toward him, as is the custom with us, "I flatter myself that my curiosity, which you will allow to be just, will not give you any offence, and that you will do me the honor to inform me of the particulars of your religion." "The people of thy country," answered the Quaker, "are too full of their bows and their compliments; but I never yet met with one of them who had so much curiosity as thyself. Come in and let us dine first together."
Voltaire (1694–1778) French writer, historian, and philosopher
Variants:
No oaths, no seals, no official mummeries were used; the treaty was ratified on both sides with a yea, yea — the only one, says Voltaire, that the world has known, never sworn to and never broken.
As quoted in William Penn : An Historical Biography (1851) by William Hepworth Dixon
William Penn began by making a league with the Americans, his neighbors. It is the only one between those natives and the Christians which was never sworn to, and the only one that was never broken.
As quoted in American Pioneers (1905), by William Augustus Mowry and Blanche Swett Mowry, p. 80
It was the only treaty made by the settlers with the Indians that was never sworn to, and the only one that was never broken.
As quoted in A History of the American Peace Movement (2008) by Charles F. Howlett, and Robbie Lieberman, p. 33
The History of the Quakers (1762)
Voltaire (1694–1778) French writer, historian, and philosopher
The viceadmiral thought his son crazy; but soon discovered he was a Quaker. He then employed every method that prudence could suggest to engage him to behave and act like other people. The youth answered his father only with repeated exhortations to turn Quaker also. After much altercation, his father confined himself to this single request, that he would wait on the king and the duke of York with his hat under his arm, and that he would not "thee" and "thou" them. William answered that his conscience would not permit him to do these things. This exasperated his father to such a degree that he turned him out of doors. Young Penn gave God thanks that he permitted him to suffer so early in His cause, and went into the city, where he held forth, and made a great number of converts; and being young, handsome, and of a graceful figure, both court and city ladies flocked very devoutly to hear him. The patriarch Fox, hearing of his great reputation, came to London — notwithstanding the length of the journey — purposely to see and converse with him. They both agreed to go upon missions into foreign countries; and accordingly they embarked for Holland, after having left a sufficient number of laborers to take care of the London vineyard.
The History of the Quakers (1762)
Victor Hugo book Les Misérables
Variant: I met in the street a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat was threadbare - there were holes at his elbows; the water passed through his shoes and the stars through his soul.
Source: Les Misérables
“Oh, both my shoes are shiny new,
And pristine is my hat
My dress is 1922…
My life is all like that.”
Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist
“Got a head full of lightning, a hat full of rain.”
Tom Waits (1949) American singer-songwriter and actor
Jenny Joseph (1932–2018) Poet
Poem Warning http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/warning/ <br class="br">Source: Warning: When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple
Maira Kalman (1949) Israeli American artist and creator of children's books
Source: The Principles of Uncertainty
Cassandra Clare book City of Glass
Variant: Nice, bah. He's gorgeous." Magnus gazed dreamily in his direction. "You should leave him here. I could hang hats on him and things.
Source: City of Glass
Ira Gershwin (1896–1983) American lyricist
"They Can't Take That Away from Me", Shall We Dance.
“A politician is a politician whether he's wearing a suit or a funny hat.”
Reza Aslan (1972) Iranian-American author, commentator
Robert E. Howard (1906–1936) American author
From a letter to H. P. Lovecraft (July 13, 1932)
Letters
“All I need is room enough to lay a hat and a few friends.”
Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist
“That wasn't very nice… I do believe you killed my hat.
~Kisuke Urahara”
Tite Kubo (1977) Japanese manga artist
“I like to know what I'm celebrating before I put on a party hat.”
Margaret Peterson Haddix book Into the Gauntlet
Source: Into the Gauntlet
“Nobody can buy a hat without gossiping.”
Diana Wynne Jones book Howl's Moving Castle
Source: Howl's Moving Castle
Frederick Buechner (1926) Poet, novelist, short story writer, theologian
Source: Telling Secrets (1991)
Maud Hart Lovelace book Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown
Source: Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown
“There are lots of real men out there - men who could fall in love with you at the drop of a hat.”
Nicholas Sparks book Message in a Bottle
Source: Message in a Bottle
“I'll beat him so bad he'll need a shoehorn to put his hat on.”
Muhammad Ali (1942–2016) African American boxer, philanthropist and activist
Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo
Source: Magic Bleeds
“You know what's the rage this year?… Hats.”
Bill Watterson (1958) American comic artist
Source: The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
“Any plan where you lose your hat is a bad plan.”
Phil Foglio (1956) American cartoonist
Source: Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank
“You cannot rob robbers with a kitten in your hat!”
Diana Wynne Jones book Castle in the Air
Source: Castle in the Air