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From ancient drains and sewers of the language (maritime inns and brothels…), from scrawls in the catacombs…whoremasters’ chapbooks…the vocabulary of tavern brawls

— Anthony Burgess Devil of a State (1961)

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More quotes by Anthony Burgess

If Shakespeare required a word and had not met it in civilised discourse, he unhesitatingly made it up.

A Mouthful of Air: Language and Languages, Especially English (1992)

Few men can do more than touch the fringes of a woman's satisfaction.

The Kingdom of the Wicked (1985)

She sat shortly after, rosy-footed, in a pair of my black Charvet pajamas, sipping warm milk.

Earthly Powers (1980)

Celibacy is not merely unknown to Islam, it is unintelligible.

The Enemy in the Blanket (1958)

To impose good , whether through force or through some technique like aversion therapy, is evil. To act evilly is better than to have good imposed.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Anthony Burgess (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.