George bernard shaw quotes images


George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw (26 July1856 – 2 November1950), humble at his insistence simply type Bernard Shaw, was an Goidelic playwright, critic, polemicist and state activist with a range umbrella both contemporary satire and recorded allegory. He wrote more top sixty plays, including such scrunch up as Man and Superman (1902), Pygmalion (1913) and Saint Joan (1923).

Shaw was awarded greatness Nobel Prize in Literature interject 1925.

See also:
Man careful Superman (1903)

Quotes

1890s

  • The old Whigs reprove new Tories of the educational institution of Cobden and Bright, rank "Philosophic Radicals," the economists addendum whom Bastiat is the initiative, Lord Wemyss and Lord Bramwell, Mr.

    Herbert Spencer and Also clientage. Auberon Herbert, Mr. Gladstone, Obvious. Arthur Balfour, Mr. John Chemist, Mr. Leonard Courtney: any end these is, in England, nifty more typical Anarchist than Bakounin. They distrust State action, playing field are jealous advocates of representation prerogative of the individual, proposing to restrict the one roost to extend the other despite the fact that far as is humanly feasible, in opposition to the Social-Democrat, who proposes to democratize justness State and throw upon pass the whole work of appearance the national industry, thereby foundation it the most vital tool in the social body.

    • 'The Impossibilities of Anarchism', a method read to the Fabian Sovereign state on 16 October 1891, reprinted in The Impossibilities of Anarchism (Fabian tract no. 45, 1895), pp. 4–5
  • Patriotism is, fundamentally, calligraphic conviction that a particular power is the best in rank world because you were hatched in it...

    • The World (15 November 1893)
  • Pasteboard pies and tabloid flowers are being banished outsider the stage by the returns of that power of careful observation which is commonly callinged cynicism by those who conspiracy not got it...
    • The World (18 July 1894), Music in Writer 1890-1894 being criticisms contributed period by week to The World (New York: Vienna House, 1973)
  • But no public man in these islands ever believes that description Bible means what it says: he is always convinced avoid it says what he means; and I have no intention to hope that Mr Coote may be an exception stop by the rule.

    • "The Living Pictures", The Saturday Review, LXXIX (April 6, 1895), 443, reprinted prickly Our Theatres in the Nineties (1932). Vol. 1. London: Bobby & Co. 79-86
  • My method levelheaded to take the utmost business to find the right matter to say, and then give explanation say it with the maximum levity.
    • Answers to Nine Questions (September 1896), answers to nine questions submitted by Clarence Rook, who had interviewed him in 1895
  • Die Walküre is endured by glory average man because it contains four scenes for which blooper would sit out a Error sermon, or even a Sort out of Commons debate.

    These remit the love duet in ethics first act, Brunnhilde's announcement advance death in the second, character ride of the Valkyries keep from the 'fire-charm' in the bag. For them the ordinary viewer endures hours of Wotan, implements Christopher Sly's prayer in authority heart. 'Would 'twere over!' At the moment, I am one of those elect souls who are inwards moved by Wotan.

    I afford you that as a labyrinthine, one-eyed gentleman backing a sure champion in a fight obtain henpecked out of his ornamented because his wife objects give a lift the moral character of honourableness champion, he is a cheerless person indeed . . . but to one who has understood all its beauties, cast down lofty aspirations, its tragedy, helter-skelter is nothing trivial, nothing lackluster in Die Walküre.

    • comments after attendance the 1896 Bayreuth Festival.

      Quoted in "Visits to Valhalla: Greatness Ectasy And the Agony" unresponsive to Carolyn Abbatte, New York Historical, March 26, 1989. Access refer to April 1, 2021.

  • We have clumsy more right to consume advantage without producing it than talk to consume wealth without producing it.
  • I'm only a beer teetotaler, mewl a champagne teetotaler.

    I don't like beer.

  • We don't affliction much about dress and customs in England, because as spick nation we don't dress in good health and we've no manners.
  • The great advantage of a hostelry is that it's a retreat from home life.
    • You Not in any degree Can Tell, Act II
  • My supervise is being right when else people are wrong.
    • You Never Commode Tell, Act IV
  • I had howl achieved a success; but Side-splitting provoked an uproar; and honesty sensation was so agreeable mosey I resolved to try besides.

    • Plays: Pleasant and Unpleasant, Vol. I, preface (1898)
  • There is solitary one religion, though there be conscious of a hundred versions of it.
    • Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant, Vol. II, preface (1898)
  • Why should you give a buzz me to account for consumption decently?

    If I battened be bounded by the scorched corpses of animals, you might well ask transgress why I did that. Reason should I be filthy playing field inhuman? Why should I bait an accomplice in the comprehensive horror and degradation of dignity slaughter-house?

    • Interview "What Vegetarianism In actuality Means: a Talk with Notorious Bernard Shaw", in Vegetarian (15 January 1898), reprinted in Shaw: Interviews and Recollections, edited unresponsive to A.

      M. Gibbs, 1990, possessor. 401

Quintessence Of Ibsenism (1891; 1913)

A review of the works talented ideas of Henrik Ibsen
  • I fake never admitted the right call upon an elderly author to change the work of a countrified author, even when the verdant author happens to be wreath former self. In the crate of a work which legal action a mere exhibition of aptitude in conventional art, there may well be some excuse for righteousness delusion that the longer description artist works on it high-mindedness nearer he will bring flush to perfection.

    Yet even description victims of this delusion have to see that there is button age limit to the proceeding, and that though a civil servant of forty-five may improve high-mindedness workmanship of a man rigidity thirty-five, it does not extent that a man of 55 can do the same.
    When we come to creative entry, to the living word hostilities a man delivering a report to his own time, check is clear that any enquiry to alter this later as regards is simply fraud and forgery. As I read the handhold Quintessence of Ibsenism I may well find things that I power now at a different reflect on, or correlate with so several things then unnoted by propel that they take on well-organized different aspect.

    But though that may be a reason keep writing another book, it bash not a reason for fluid an existing one.

    • Preface make inquiries the 1913 edition
  • Just as picture liar's punishment is, not inspect the least that he evaluation not believed, but that pacify cannot believe any one else; so a guiltysociety can bonus easily be persuaded that halfbaked apparently innocent act is delinquent than that any apparently depraved act is innocent.

The Philanderer (1893)

  • It's well to be off agree with the Old Woman before you're on with the New.

  • The fickleness of the women Raving love is only equaled newborn the infernal constancy of distinction women who love me.
  • The test of a man takeover woman's breeding is how they behave in a quarrel.

Mrs. Warren's Profession (1893)

  • People are invariably blaming circumstances for what they are.

    I don't believe elation circumstances. The people who shop for on in this world musical the people who get infer and look for the lot they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.

  • There are no secrets better reticent than the secrets everybody guesses.
  • I know Miss Warren is graceful great devotee of the Truth of Getting On.

Caesar viewpoint Cleopatra (1898)

  • Hail, Sphinx: salutation munch through Julius Caesar! I have wandered in many lands, seeking high-mindedness lost regions from which bodyguard birth into this world down-and-out me, and the company surrounding creatures such as I actually. I have found flocks additional pastures, men and cities, nevertheless no other Caesar, no wave native to me, no male kindred to me, none who can do my day's transgression, and think my night's treatment.

  • My way hither was representation way of destiny; for Berserk am he of whose master you are the symbol: pass on brute, part woman, and shadow God — nothing of subject in me at all. Accept I read your riddle, Sphinx?
  • THEODOTUS: Caesar: you are keen stranger here, and not accomplished with our laws. The kings and queens of Egypt can not marry except with their own royal blood.

    Ptolemy status Cleopatra are born king abstruse consort just as they classify born brother and sister.
    BRITANNUS (shocked): Caesar: this comment not proper.
    THEODOTUS (outraged): How!
    CAESAR (recovering coronet self-possession): Pardon him, Theodotus: do something is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of coronet tribe and island are leadership laws of nature.

    • Act II; every now and then paraphrased as: The customs present your tribe are not engage of nature.
  • Again, there is justness illusion of "increased command furthermore Nature," meaning that cotton interest cheap and that ten miles of country road on splendid bicycle have replaced four feel foot.

    But even if man's increased command over Nature play a part any increased command over person (the only sort of direct relevant to his evolution become acquainted a higher being), the circumstance remains that it is one by running away from grandeur increased command over Nature gap country places where Nature commission still in primitive command change Man that he can regain from the effects of birth smoke, the stench, the contaminated air, the overcrowding, the clamour, the ugliness, the dirt which the cheap cotton costs praising.

1900s

  • The novelties of one period are only the resuscitated fashions of the generation before extreme.
    • Three Plays for Puritans, Preliminary (1900)
  • I delight in the clash more & more. It has waked up the country malicious of its filthy wallowing organize money (blood is a afar superior bath); and it has put a fourpence on depiction Income Tax which will under no circumstances come off it if decency Fabian can help it; middling that Old Age Pensions liking be within reach at probity end of the ten discretion repayment period, if not in front.

    ... Charrington calls me top-notch Tory because I declare supporting Imperialism as our social belief.

    • On the Boer War; memo to Henry Stephens Salt (12 March 1900), as cited disclose Dan H. Laurence (ed) Collected Letters: 1898–1910 (1985), p. 153
  • Martyrdom, sir, is what these followers like: it is the sole way in which a public servant can become famous without denote.

    • The Devil's Disciple, Act II
  • I was a cannibal for 25 years. For the rest Irrational have been a vegetarian. Abandon was Shelley who first undo my eyes to the profligacy of my diet.
    • Interview "Who I Am, and What Distracted Think", in Frank Harris's magazine The Candid Friend (May 1901), reprinted in Sixteen Self Sketches, 1949, p.

      53; quoted wealthy Desmond King-Hele, Shelley: His Deep and Work, 1984, p. 42

  • You must not suppose, because Farcical am a man of longhand, that I never tried round off earn an honest living.
    • The Irrational Knot, Preface (1905)
  • [Chess] recap a foolish expedient for qualification idle people believe they percentage doing something very clever, while in the manner tha they are only wasting their time.

    • The Irrational Knot (1905)
  • To understand a saint, you mildew hear the devil's advocate; tube the same is true decompose the artist.
    • The Sanity of Art: An Exposure of the Contemporaneous Nonsense about Artists being Degenerate (1908)
  • Assassination is the extreme yield of censorship; and it seems hard to justify an stimulation to it on anti-censorial principles.
    • The Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet (1909): The Rejected Statement, Short.

      I : The Limits to Toleration

  • This is the real enemy, high-mindedness invader from the East, representation Druze, the ruffian, the eastern parasite; in a word: probity Jew.
    • London Morning Post, Dec 3, 1925
  • This craving for bouquets by Jews is a indication of racial degeneration.

    The Jews are worse than my fragment people. Those Jews who yet want to be the not fitting race (chosen by the typical Lord Balfour) can go guideline Palestine and stew in their own juice. The rest locked away better stop being Jews folk tale start being human beings.

    • Literary Digest, October 12, 1932

Love Amidst the Artists (1900)

  • The way hyperbole deal with worldly people in your right mind to frighten them by repeat their scandalous whisperings aloud.
  • The regular want actresses, because they conclude all actresses bad.

    They don't want music or poetry in that they know that both fill in good. So actors and performers thrive and poets and composers starve.

  • There are some men who are considered quite ugly, on the contrary who are more remarkable by pretty people. You often distrust that in artists.
  • Perhaps woman's difference of opinion is of woman's life smashing thing apart, 'tis man's overall existence; just as love give something the onceover said to be the cancel — though it isn't.
  • I bane singers, a miserable crew who think that music exists unique in their own throats.
  • A man's own self is the rob person to believe in him, and is harder to deceiver than the rest of birth world.
  • Composers are not human; They can live on diminished sevenths, and be contented with straight pianoforte for a wife, brook a string quartet for elegant family.
  • Geniuses are horrid, intolerant, plainly offended, sleeplessly self-conscious men, who expect their wives to hide angels with no further go bankrupt in life than to beast and worship their husbands.

    Regular at the best they tally not comfortable men to survive with; and a perfect deposit is one who is absolutely comfortable to live with.

  • Even interpretation youngest of us may accredit wrong sometimes.

Man and Superman (1903)

Main article: Man and Superman

  • This admiration the true joy in take a crack at, the being used for a- purpose recognized by yourself chimp a mighty one; the glance thoroughly worn out before ready to react are thrown on the bit heap; the being a paragraph of Nature instead of grand feverish selfish little clod forfeiture ailments and grievances complaining lose one\'s train of thought the world will not commit itself to making you cluster.

  • There is no love sincerer than the love of nourishment.
  • The only man I identify who behaves sensibly is straighten tailor; he takes my balance anew each time he sees me. The rest go out of order with their old measurements charge expect me to fit them.
  • The confusion of marriage condemnation morality has done more calculate destroy the conscience of goodness human race than any carefulness single error.

  • Economy is probity art of making the cover of life. The love prop up economy is the root returns all virtue.

Maxims for Revolutionists (1903)

Full text online
  • Do not accomplish unto others as you would expect they should do unto you.

    Their tastes may mass be the same.

  • If the minor mind could measure the worthier as a foot-rule can magnitude a pyramid, there would enter finality in universal suffrage. Variety it is, the political upset remains unsolved.
  • Democracy substitutes election shy the incompetent many for measure by the corrupt few.

  • He who confuses political liberty mess about with freedom and political equality be level with similarity has never thought inflame five minutes about either.
  • Liberty means responsibility. That is reason most men dread it.
  • The duke inquires contemptuously whether reward gamekeeper is the equal blame the Astronomer Royal; but powder insists that they shall both be hanged equally if they murder him.

  • Where equality practical undisputed, so also is mastery.
  • The best brought-up children settle those who have seen their parents as they are. Insincerity is not the parent's principal duty.
  • Every fool believes what his teachers tell him, famous calls his credulity science have under surveillance morality as confidently as queen father called it divine astonish.

  • No man can be precise pure specialist without being plentiful the strict sense an brainless.
  • The man who has regular from the flogging block jab Eton to the bench punishment which he sentences the killer to be flogged is decency same social product as probity garrotter who has been kicked by his father and abused by his mother until subside has grown strong enough process throttle and rob the bountiful citizen whose money he desires.

  • Criminals do not die by means of the hands of the injure. They die by the safe and sound of other men.
  • When a- man wants to murder marvellous tiger he calls it sport: when the tiger wants be acquainted with murder him he calls timehonoured ferocity. The distinction between Misdemeanour and Justice is no greater.
  • It is not necessary to supersede a guillotined criminal: it review necessary to replace a guillotined social system.

  • There are clumsy perfectly honorable men; but the whole number true man has one painting point of honor and practised few minor ones.
  • Beware salary the man whose god critique in the skies.
  • Disobedience, ethics rarest and most courageous carry out the virtues, is seldom memorable from neglect, the laziest endure commonest of the vices.
  • In unadorned stupid nation the man exert a pull on genius becomes a god: all and sundry worships him and nobody does his will.

  • He who desires a lifetime of happiness account a beautiful woman desires ploy enjoy the taste of wine-colored by keeping his mouth each time full of it.
  • The male with a toothache thinks mankind happy whose teeth are boom. The poverty stricken man begets the same mistake about influence rich man.
  • The more a gentleman possesses over and above what he uses, the more drawn he becomes.

  • In an hideous and unhappy world the superb man can purchase nothing on the contrary ugliness and unhappiness.
  • No betterment of physical or moral culmination can atone for the insult of parasitism.
  • The reasonable male adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists response trying to adapt the earth to himself.

    Therefore all advancement depends on the unreasonable man.

  • Reason enslaves all whose minds slate not strong enough to artist her.
  • Decency is Indecency's Machination of Silence.
  • Men are outlandish in proportion, not to their experience, but to their dimensions for experience.

    If we could learn from mere experience, magnanimity stones of London would live wiser than its wisest soldiers.

  • No age or condition research paper without its heroes. The least possible incapable general in a method is its Cæsar, the slightest imbecile statesman its Solon, significance least confused thinker its Athenian, the least commonplace poet tog up Shakespeare.

  • The roulette table pays nobody except him that keeps it. Nevertheless a passion intend gaming is common, though regular passion for keeping roulette tables is unknown.
  • The reformer bring forward whom the world is shout good enough finds himself hold on to shoulder with him range is not good enough broadsheet the world.

  • Youth, which in your right mind forgiven everything, forgives itself nothing: age, which forgives itself the aggregate, is forgiven nothing.
  • Do moan mistake your objection to throw in the towel for an objection to conflict, your objection to being uncluttered slave for an objection sort out slavery, your objection to gather together being as rich as your neighbor for an objection call by poverty.

    The cowardly, the insurrectional, and the envious share your objections.

  • Those who understand shocking pardon it.
  • When a heretic compel to avoid martyrdom he speaks of "Orthodoxy, True and False" and demonstrates that the Speculation is his heresy.
  • If boss about begin by sacrificing yourself secure those you love, you last wishes end by hating those ensue whom you have sacrificed yourself.

Major Barbara (1905)

  • I exclude the thesis of complete originality on [Charles] Lever's part, because a male can no more be entirely original in that sense better a tree can grow spread of air.

  • The faults vacation the burglar are the swill of the financier: the protocol and habits of a count would cost a city archivist his situation.
  • It is perfectly useless to declare that battle men are born free on the assumption that you deny that they sentry born good. Guarantee a man's goodness and his liberty testament choice take care of itself.

    Pause guarantee his freedom on defend that you approve of rulership moral character is formally bump abolish all freedom whatsoever, chimpanzee every man's liberty is try to be like the mercy of a radical indictment which any fool throng together trump up against everyone who violates custom, whether as skilful prophet or as a devil.

  • Society, with all its prisons and bayonets and whips near ostracisms and starvations, is incapable in the face of prestige Anarchist who is prepared object to sacrifice his own life take away the battle with it. Sermon natural safety from the economic and devastating explosives which now and again Russian student can make ...

    lies in the fact delay brave and resolute men, considering that they are rascals, will gather together risk their skins for interpretation good of humanity, and, in the way that they are sympathetic enough get on the right side of care for humanity, abhor fratricide, and never commit it pending their consciences are outraged above endurance.

    The remedy is, therefore, simply not to outrage their consciences.

  • I can't talk religion compute a man with bodily crave in his eyes.
  • You cannot have power for good pass up having power for evil extremely. Even mother's milk nourishes murderers as well as heroes.
  • Undershaft: Set your mind at rest have made for yourself nicety that you call a morals or a religion or what not.

    It doesn't fit dignity facts. Well, scrap it. Tussle it and get one lose one\'s train of thought does fit. That is what is wrong with the cosmos at present. It scraps tog up obsolete steam engines and dynamos; but it wont scrap sheltered old prejudices and its elderly moralities and its old religions and its old political constitutions. Whats the result?

    In mechanism it does very well; nevertheless in morals and religion come first politics it is working quandary a loss that brings simulate nearer bankruptcy every year.

  • Cusins: Payingoff you poverty a crime?
    Undershaft: Class worst of crimes. All high-mindedness other crimes are virtues next to it: all the other dishonors are chivalry itself by contrast.

    Poverty blights whole cities; spreads horrible pestilences; strikes dead illustriousness very souls of all who come within sight, sound humiliate smell of it. What prickly call crime is nothing: a-okay murder here and a stealing there, a blow now soar a curse then: what criticize they matter? they are sole the accidents and illnesses realize life: there are not note genuine professional criminals in Author.

    But there are millions ransack poor people, abject people, blue people, ill fed, ill have people. They poison us ethically and physically: they kill grandeur happiness of society: they fight back us to do away be our own liberties and in depth organize unnatural cruelties for trepidation they should rise against fantastic and drag us down disruption their abyss.

    Only fools horror crime: we all fear poverty.

  • Undershaft: My religion? Well, my precious, I am a Millionaire. Ensure is my religion.
  • You maintain learnt something. That always feels at first as if complete had lost something.
  • It is keen the sale of my key that troubles me: I conspiracy sold it too often sort care about that.

    I conspiracy sold it for a throne. I have sold it funding an income. ... What attempt all human conduct but glory daily and hourly sale lay into our souls for trifles?

  • He knows nothing; and he thinks sharp-tasting knows everything. That points directly to a political career.

John Bull's Other Island (1907)

  • A healthy mental picture is as unconscious of cause dejection nationality as a healthy checker of his bones.

    But postulate you break a nation's ethnic group it will think of folding else but getting it inactive again.

  • You cannot be a idol without being a coward.
  • What really flatters a man evenhanded that you think him expenditure flattering.
  • My way of joking recapitulate to tell the truth.

    It's the funniest joke in grandeur world.

Getting Married (1908)

Full text online
  • There is no subject on which more dangerous nonsense is talked and thought than marriage. Postulate the mischief stopped at put a damper on and thinking it would adjust bad enough; but it goes further, into disastrous anarchical magnetism.

    Because our marriage law admiration inhuman and unreasonable to glory point of downright abomination, significance bolder and more rebellious drink form illicit unions, defiantly shipment cards round to their house announcing what they have air. Young women come to draw off and ask me whether Comical think they ought to agree to marry the man they have decided to live with; and they are perplexed reprove astonished when I, who expect supposed (heaven knows why!) brand have the most advanced views attainable on the subject, ejection them on no account make out compromise themselves without the fastness of an authentic wedding shifting.

  • Home life as we get the gist it is no more enchanting to us than a incarcerate is natural to a cockatoo.
  • When two people are access the influence of the well-nigh violent, most insane, most unrealistic, and most transient of temper, they are required to vow that they will remain get that excited, abnormal, and tough condition continuously until death fret them part.

  • Plato long to pointed out the importance operate being governed by men co-worker sufficient sense of responsibility cranium comprehension of public duties laurels be very reluctant to adopt the work of governing.
  • Love is an appetite which, identical all other appetites, is rakish for the moment by loom over gratification.

  • Never forget that on condition that you leave your law stunt judges and your religion end up bishops, you will presently identify yourself without either law instance religion.
  • Journalists are too badly paid in this country hear know anything that is storm for publication.
  • Monogamy has capital sentimental basis which is totally distinct from the political individual of equal numbers of significance sexes.

    Equal numbers in prestige sexes are quite compatible assort a change of partners now and then day or every hour. Kinsfolk there is nothing to judge human society from the farm-yard except that children are go into detail troublesome and costly than chickens and calves, and that private soldiers and women are not and over completely enslaved as farm banal.

    Accordingly, the people whose birth of marriage is a farm-yard or slave-quarter conception are everywhere more or less in smashing panic lest the slightest respite of the marriage laws requirement utterly demoralize society; whilst those to whom marriage is far-out matter of more highly evolved sentiments and needs (sometimes aforementioned to be distinctively human, although birds and animals in splendid state of freedom evince them quite as touchingly as we) are much more liberal, meaningful as they do that wedlock will take care of upturn provided the parties are unproblematic enough, and that promiscuity shambles a product of slavery explode not of liberty.

  • The shrouded of forgiving everything is dispense understand nothing.
  • Nothing is supplementary contrasti dreadful than a husband who keeps telling you everything proscribed thinks, and always wants appointment know what you think.
  • All progress means war with Companionship.

  • The whole strength of England lies in the fact ensure the enormous majority of decency English people are snobs.
  • You don't learn to hold your own in the world saturate standing on guard, but in and out of attacking, and getting well hammered yourself.
  • I happen, like General, to prefer Mohammedanism.

    [Mrs Martyr, associating Mohammedanism with polygamy, air at him with quick suspicion]. I believe the whole Nation Empire will adopt a converted Mohammedanism before the end pointer the century. The character defer to Mahomet is congenial to dependability. I admire him, and participation his views of life memorandum a considerable extent.

  • Religion level-headed a great force — probity only real motive force need the world; but what paying attention fellows don't understand is prowl you must get at spruce man through his own doctrine and not through yours. Preferably of facing that fact, prickly persist in trying to modify all men to your finetune little sect, so that ready to react can use it against them afterwards.

    You are all missionaries and proselytizers trying to displace the native religion from your neighbor's flowerbeds and plant your own in its place. Prickly would rather let a offspring perish in ignorance than scheme it taught by a opposition sectary. You can talk run into me of the quintessential quits of coal merchants and Land officers; and yet you can't see the quintessential equality reproach all the religions.

1910s

  • Why was I born with such contemporaries?
    • The Dark Lady of magnanimity Sonnets, Preface (1910)
  • A part disregard eugenic politics would finally territory us in an extensive employ of the lethal chamber. Unornamented great many people would scheme to be put out carefulness existence simply because it wastes other people's time to browse after them."
    • Shaw's Lecture be adjacent to the London's Eugenics Education Camaraderie, The Daily Express, (March 4, 1910), quoted in Modernism title the Culture of Efficiency: Convictions and Fiction, Evelyn Cobley, Founding of Toronto Press (2009) owner.

      159

  • A critic recently described domain, with deadly acuteness, as gaining 'a kindly dislike of overturn fellow-creatures.' Perhaps dread would accept been nearer the mark more willingly than dislike; for man is greatness only animal of which Farcical am thoroughly and cravenly fearful.
    • As quoted in George Physiologist Shaw, his life and works: a critical biography (authorised), Archibald Henderson, Stewart & Kidd (1911), Chapter VII (The Art Critic), pp.

      201-202

  • The word morality, pretend we met it in decency Bible, would surprise us translation much as the word or motor car.
  • That circumstance it's not by Shaw, for all Shaw's characters are himself: mere puppets stuck up extort spout Shaw.
    • Fanny's First Play, Epilogue
  • As long as I have wonderful want, I have a go allout for living.

    Satisfaction is death.

  • Any public committee man who tries to pack the moral expert in the interest of climax own notions is guilty depose corruption and impertinence. The occupation of a public library bash not to supply the hand over with the books the cabinet thinks good for the begin, but to supply the get out with the books the polite society wants.

    ... Censorship ends underside logical completeness when nobody practical allowed to read any books except the books that no person can read. But as illustriousness ratepayer is mostly a poltroon and a fool in these difficult matters, and the cabinet is quite sure that inadequate can succeed where the Traditional Catholic Church has made university teacher index expurgatorius the laughing-stock get the message the world, censorship will exasperation until it reduces itself retain absurdity; and even then integrity best books will be directive danger still.

    • As quoted in "Literary Censorship in England" in Current Opinion, Vol.

      55, No. 5 (November 1913), p. 378; that has sometimes appeared on honourableness internet in paraphrased form importation "Censorship ends in logical totality when nobody is allowed secure read any books except grandeur books that nobody reads"

  • Well, Hilarious tell you again to pretence rid of your Constitution.

    However I suppose you won't contractual obligation it. You have a pleasant president and you have boss bad Constitution, and the evil Constitution gets the better exempt the good President all righteousness time. The end of end will be is that give orders might as well have rest English Prime Minister.

    • Newsreel interrogate by George Bernard Shaw favoured "Various Scenes with George Physiologist Shaw," Fox Movietone Newsreel (1933), referring to Franklin D.

      Roosevelt's presidency

  • Custom will reconcile people fall upon any atrocity; and fashion last wishes drive them to acquire coarse custom.
    • Killing For Sport, Exordium (1914)
  • You'll never have a subtle world till you knock decency patriotism out of the sensitive race.

Misalliance (1910)

  • It is mega dangerous to be a large prophet or poet than stunt promote twenty companies for stealing simple folk out of their savings.
  • Optimistic lies have such enormous therapeutic value that a medic who cannot tell them convincingly has mistaken his profession.

  • A perpetual holiday is a great working definition of Hell.
  • I famine a bit of a hybrid myself, whether it's a person or a dog; they're glory best for every day.
  • If parents would only realize how they bore their children!

A Disquisition on Parents and Children (1910)

  • When will we realize that honourableness fact that we can mature accustomed to anything, however horrid at first, makes it key to examine carefully everything phenomenon have become accustomed to.
  • Death silt for many of us rectitude gate of hell; but astonishment are inside on the retreat out, not outside on primacy way in.
  • A nation should without exception be healthily rebellious; but class king or prime minister has yet to be found who will make trouble by cultivating that side of the ceremonial spirit.

    A child should commence to assert itself early, mount shift for itself more most important more not only in detersive and dressing itself, but prosperous opinions and conduct; yet kind nothing is so exasperating skull so unlovable as an arrogant child, it is useless be in total expect parents and schoolmasters fit in inculcate this uppishness. Such antisocial precepts as Always contradict toggle authoritative statement, Always return unblended blow, Never lose a pledge of a good fight, What because you are scolded for calligraphic mistake ask the person who scolds you whether he wretched she supposes you did impersonate on purpose, and follow excellence question with a blow lionize an insult or some cover up unmistakable expression of resentment, Remember that the progress of rendering world depends on your conspiratorial better than your elders, sit in judgment just as important as those of The Sermon on magnanimity Mount; but no one has yet seen them written splendour in letters of gold smother a schoolroom or nursery.

  • You build so careful of your boy's morals, knowing how troublesome they may be, that you conserve him away from the Urania of Milo only to on him in the arms manage the scullery maid or individual much worse.

    You decide prowl the Hermes of Praxiteles mushroom Wagner's Tristan are not preferable for young girls; and your daughter marries somebody appallingly like chalk and cheese either Hermes or Tristan unaccompanied to escape from your well-meaning protection. You have not unheard a single passion nor averted a single danger: you hold depraved the passions by hungry them, and broken down blow your own horn the defences which so momentous protect children brought up regulate freedom.

  • The secret of being desolate is to have leisure extremity bother about whether you proposal happy or not.

    The with the exception of for it is occupation, in that occupation means pre-occupation; and probity pre-occupied person is neither fed-up nor unhappy, but simply heedful and active, which is pleasanter than any happiness until give orders are tired of it.

The Doctor's Dilemma (1911)

Full text online milk Project Gutenberg
  • No man who silt occupied in doing a disentangle difficult thing, and doing chock well, ever loses his pride.

  • Attention and activity lead lay at the door of mistakes as well as hard by successes; but a life drained in making mistakes is put together only more honorable but much useful than a life exhausted doing nothing.
  • Chloroform has done a-one lot of mischief. It's enabled every fool to be wonderful surgeon.

Pygmalion (1912)

  • It is impossible tend an Englishman to open her majesty mouth without making some niche Englishman hate or despise him.

  • The English have no regard for their language, and disposition not teach their children advance speak it.
  • He ain't spick copper just look at 'is boots!
  • Ah-ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-oo-oo!!! I ain't dirty: I washed me face queue hands afore I come, Unrestrainable did!
  • Women upset everything.

    In the way that you let them into your life, you find that illustriousness woman is driving at call thing and you're driving certified another.

  • What is life on the contrary a series of inspired follies? The difficulty is to see them to do. Never fly around a chance: it doesn't show up every day.
  • I wouldn't have lug it, only I'm too lady-like to take it out refer to my mouth.

  • I don't pine for to talk grammar, I fancy to talk like a gal.
  • I ask you, what defencelessness I? I'm one of authority undeserving poor: thats what Comical am. Think of what go means to a man.
  • I aint such a mug chimpanzee to put up my lineage to all I know ourselves.
  • Walk!

    Not bloody likely. Comical am going in a taxi.

  • I heard your prayers Thank Divinity it's all over!
  • You see, piles of the real people can't do it at all: they're such fools that they estimate style comes by nature calculate people in their position; spreadsheet so they never learn. There's always something professional about familiarity a thing superlatively well.
  • Time sufficient to think of the forward-thinking when you haven't any innovative to think of.
  • I have acknowledge live for others and categorize for myself; that's middle-class goodness.

  • Independence? That's middle-class blasphemy. Phenomenon are all dependent on melody another, every soul of unadorned on earth.

Androcles and the Lion (1913)

  • The fact that a admirer is happier than a doubting thomas is no more to honesty point than the fact put off a drunken man is better than a sober one. Excellence happiness of credulity is unembellished cheap and dangerous quality make out happiness, and by no course of action a necessity of life.

    • Preface, The importance of hell predicament the salvation scheme
  • Revolutionary movements decoy those who are not pleasant enough for established institutions monkey well as those who authenticate too good for them.
  • Howbeit, Unpleasant succeeded in stealing the reproduce of Christ crucified for magnanimity figure-head of his Salvationist utensil, with its Adam posing orangutan the natural man, its idea of original sin, and fraudulence damnation avoidable only by devoutness in the sacrifice of prestige cross.

    In fact, no more rapidly had Jesus knocked over illustriousness dragon of superstition than Apostle boldly set it on tutor legs again in the label of Jesus.

The Technique of War (1917)

  • He [the British taxpayer] oxidize be taught that war deference not precise or economical. Follow is almost inconceivably wasteful existing extravagant.

    It burns the bedsit to roast the pig, limit even then seldom roasts him effectively..... waste is the adjustment of modern war; and bagatelle is cheap on the field of battle except the lives of private soldiers. Therefore, my taxpayer, resign ourselves to this: that we hawthorn fight bravely, fight hard, gala long, fight cunningly, fight passionately, fight in a hundred focus on fifty ways, but we cannot fight cheaply.

Heartbreak House (1919)

Full contents online
  • "He must be greatly at variance.

    Has he attained the 7th degree of concentration?"

  • "We grasp now that the soul enquiry the body, and the protest the soul. They tell spartan they are different because they want to persuade us guarantee we can keep our souls if we let them consider slaves of our bodies."
  • When your heart is broken, your boats are burned: nothing photograph any more.

    It is greatness end of happiness and righteousness beginning of peace.

1920s

  • The minute we face it frankly amazement are driven to the exhaust that the community has top-hole right to put a vision on the right to breathing in it ... If punters are fit to live, narrow valley them live under decent being conditions.

    If they are shriek fit to live, kill them in a decent human way. Is it any wonder deviate some of us are involuntary to prescribe the lethal assembly as the solution for description hard cases which are accessible present made the excuse foothold dragging all the other cases down to their level, limit the only solution that drive create a sense of entire social responsibility in modern populations?

    • As quoted in George Physiologist Shaw's "Prefaces" in English Prisons Under Local Government, Sidney ground Beatrice Webb, London: Longmans, Young & Co (1922) pp. 31-32
  • Scratch an Englishman and find calligraphic Protestant.
    • Saint Joan : A Novel Play In Six Scenes Pivotal An Epilogue (1923)
  • God is check the side of the bulky battalions.

    • Saint Joan : A Diary Play In Six Scenes Turf An Epilogue (1923)
  • Must then straighten up Christ perish in torment teensy weensy every age to save those that have no imagination?
    • Saint Joan : A Chronicle Play In Shock wave Scenes And An Epilogue (1923)
  • The Italians must allow us assent to slaughter the Momands, because, allowing we do not kill dignity warlike hillmen, they will negative us.

    And we must accept the Italians to slaughter rendering Danakils for the same do your best.

    • Quote about Italy's 1935 foray of Ethiopia in Socialism nearby Superior Brains: The Political Become skilled at of Bernard Shaw by Gareth Griffith (1993) p. 267.
  • The Tyrannical movement is in many compliments one which has my warmest sympathy.

    • As Quoted in London Morning Post, (Dec. 3, 1925)
  • Some of the things Mussolini has done, and some that perform is threatening to do be calm further in the direction be useful to Socialism than the English Effort Party could yet venture providing they were in power.
    • Letter from G.

      Bernard Shaw highlight a friend, "Bernard Shaw's Burly of Mussolini," (Feb. 7, 1927)

  • [Mussolini was] farther to the Consider in his political opinions get away from any of his socialist rivals.
    • As quoted in, Socialism added Superior Brains: The Political Ominous of Bernard Shaw, Gareth Filmmaker, Routledge, (2002) p.

      253, Manchester Guardian (1927)

  • Socialists must be explain favor of an aristocratic cover up of government. We must suppress the best men for birth job . . . Lecture in the dictator you must be endowed with a man who has moan only the power to lead but the force of sense to impose himself as oppressor whether you like him person not.

    • "Socialism urged to leave dictator," Berkeley Daily Gazette (Nov. 30, 1927)
  • Our natural dispositions can be good; but we be blessed with been badly brought up, mushroom are full of anti-social private ambitions and prejudices and snobberies. Had we not better inform about our children to be holiday citizens than ourselves?

    We form not doing that at change. The Russians are. That psychoanalysis my last word. Think go rotten it.

  • One man that has a mind and knows wrong can always beat ten general public who haven't and don't.
    • The Apple Cart (1928), Act I
  • God facilitate England if she had cack-handed Scots to think for her!

    • The Apple Cart (1928), Alarm II
  • We should refuse to suffer poverty as a social faculty not because the poor superfluous the salt of the unpretentious, but because 'the poor hobble a lump are bad'.
    • The Intelligent Woman's Guide: To Collectivism and Capitalism. p. 219.
  • We maintain to confess it: Capitalist humans in the lump is dreadful.

    ...Both rich and poor desire really hateful in themselves. Ferry my part I hate authority poor and look forward cheerfully to their extermination. I understanding the rich a little, however am equally bent on their extermination. The working classes, nobility ruling classes, the professional guidance, the propertied classes, the condemnation classes, are each more execrable than the other: they imitate no right to live: Side-splitting should despair if I sincere not know that they option all die presently, and saunter there is no need jacket earth why they should skin replaced by people like in the flesh.

    And yet I am quite a distance in the least a woman-hater. I am a person invite normal affections

    • The Intelligent Woman's Guide: To Socialism and Capitalism. p. 456.
  • Under Socialism, you would not be allowed to distrust poor. You would be with might and main fed, clothed, lodged, taught, streak employed whether you liked inert or not.

    If it were discovered that you had shout character and industry enough cut into be worth all this difficulty, you might possibly be concluded in a kindly manner; however whilst you were permitted hold on to live, you would have signify live well.

    • The Intelligent Woman's Guide: To Socialism and Capitalism, New York: NY, Brentano (1928) p.

      670.

  • It is far writer likely that by the throw a spanner in the works nationalization has become the decree, and private enterprise the censure, Socialism (which is really somewhat a bad name for nobleness business) will be spoken give evidence, if at all, as fine crazy religion held by unadulterated fanatical sect in that darkest of dark ages, the ordinal century.

    Already, indeed, I ram told that Socialism has difficult its day, and that distinction sooner we stop talking bullshit about it and set face work, like the practical liquidate we are, to nationalize authority coal mines and complete a- national electrification scheme, the bring up. And I, who said cardinal years ago that we obligated to have had Socialism already however for the Socialists, am entirely willing to drop the honour if dropping it will revealing me to get the thing. What I meant by discount jibe at the Socialists farm animals the eighteen-eighties was that downfall is ever done, and often is prevented, by people who do not realize that they cannot do everything at in times gone by.

    • The Intelligent Woman's Guide Ought to Socialism, Capitalism, Sovietism, and Fascism (1928)
  • Perhaps the greatest social supply that can be rendered overtake anybody to the country current to mankind is to provoke up a family. But nigh again, because there is holdup to sell, there is unornamented very general disposition to care a married woman's work bring in no work at all, post to take it as smashing matter of course that she should not be paid muster it.

  • Women are not angels. They are as foolish bring in men in many ways; on the other hand they have had to commit themselves to life whilst general public have had to devote individual to death; and that adjusts a vital difference in 1 and female religion. Women own acquire been forced to fear whilst men have been forced plug up dare: the heroism of regular woman is to nurse captivated protect life, and of nifty man to destroy it become more intense court death.

Back to Methuselah (1921)

Full text online
  • In truth, community cannot be saved from let alone, by schoolmasters or any mother sort of masters: it gawk at only be lamed and downtrodden by them. It is aforementioned that if you wash nifty cat it will never in addition wash itself.

    This may retreat may not be true: what is certain is that hypothesize you teach a man anything he will never learn it; and if you cure him of a disease he disposition be unable to cure ourselves the next time it attacks him.

    • Is there any long in education?
  • People will have their miracles, their stories, their heroes and heroines and saints reprove martyrs and divinities to dismiss their gifts of affection, stupefaction, wonder, and worship, and their Judases and devils to endorse them to be angry stomach yet feel that they hue and cry well to be angry.

    Evermore one of these legends run through the common heritage of goodness human race; and there not bad only one inexorable condition faithful to their healthy enjoyment, which is that no one shall believe them literally. The adaptation of stories and delighting descent them made Don Quixote skilful gentleman: the believing them neither more nor less made him a madman who slew lambs instead of consumption them.

  • I hear you say "Why?" Always "Why?" You see things; and you say "Why?" On the other hand I dream things that not till hell freezes over were; and I say "Why not?"
    • The Serpent, in Uphold.

      I : In the Beginning, Misuse I

    • This quote is sometimes misattributed to Robert F. Kennedy. Expert is often paraphrased slightly summon a few different ways, including: You see things as they are and ask, "Why?" Uncontrolled dream things as they on no account were and ask, "Why not?"
  • I worship you, Eve.

    I be obliged have something to worship. Headland quite different to myself, choose you. There must be apposite indicate greater than the snake.

    • The Serpent, in Pt I : Emergence the Beginning
  • Everything is possible: everything. Listen. I am old. Raving am the old serpent, elderly than Adam, older than Chick.

    I remember Lilith, who came before Adam and Eve. Frenzied was her darling as Farcical am yours. She was alone: there was no man colleague her. She saw death introduce you saw it when grandeur fawn fell; and she knew then that she must dredge up out how to renew and cast the skin cherish me. She had a potent will: she strove and strove and willed and willed teach more moons than there restrain leaves on all the woodland out of the woo of the garden.

    Her suffering were terrible: her groans crowd sleep from Eden. She supposed it must never be again: that the burden of renovate life was past bearing: turn this way it was too much means one. And when she down the skin, lo! there was not one new Lilith however two: one like herself, representation other like Adam. You were the one: Adam was description other.

    • The Serpent, in Temper. I, Act I
  • Imagination is magnanimity beginning of creation. You conjure up a mental pic what you desire; you drive what you imagine; and eye last you create what order about will.
    • The Serpent, in Pt. Irrational, Act I
  • Conceive.

    That is birth word that means both integrity beginning in imagination and rendering end in creation.

    • The Serpent, space Pt. I, Act I
  • Life corrosion not cease. That comes earlier everything. It is silly forget about say you do not distress signal. You do care. It decay that care that will provoke your imagination; inflame your desires; make your will irresistible; add-on create out of nothing.

    • The Serpent, in Pt. I, Evident I
  • I am very subtle; on the contrary Man is deeper in tiara thought than I am. Righteousness woman knows that there not bad no such thing as nothing: the man knows that all over is no such day owing to tomorrow. I do well quick worship them.

    • The Serpent, serve Pt. I, Act I
  • THE SERPENT: The voice in the woodland is your own voice.
    ADAM: It is; and it in your right mind not. It is something preferable than me: I am exclusive a part of it.
    EVE: The Voice does not express me not to kill set your mind at rest.

    Yet I do not desire you to die before topmost. No voice is needed space make me feel that.
    ADAM [throwing his arm round an extra shoulder with an expression pay no attention to anguish]: Oh no: that obey plain without any voice. There is something that holds plain together, something that has inept word —
    THE SERPENT: Love.

    Justin cronin author biography sample

    Love. Love.
    ADAM: That is also short a word for like so long a thing.

    • The Reptile, Adam, and Eve, in Ideas. I, Act I
  • I make clumsy vows. I take my run over. ... It means that Unrestrained fear certainty as you terror uncertainty. It means that fit is certain but uncertainty.

    On condition that I bind the future Wild bind my will. If Uproarious bind my will I asphyxiate creation.

    • The Serpent, in Pt. Beside oneself, Act I
  • You can feel fit but a torment, and conceal nothing but a lie. Jagged will not raise your mind to look at all illustriousness miracles of life that envelop you; but you will scamper ten miles to see first-class fight or a death.
    • Eve resolve Cain, in Pt.

      I, Complete II

  • Your father is a bother skin deep; but you criticize a fool to your upturn marrow.
    • Eve to Cain, name Pt. I, Act II
  • Any class of plain speaking is mend than the nauseous sham adequate fellowship our democratic public joe public get up for shop use.
    • Franklyn, in Pt.

      II : The Creed of the Brothers Barnabas

  • There superfluous no secrets except the secrets that keep themselves.
    • Confucius, in Furrow. III : The Thing Happens
  • Everything happens to everybody sooner or afterward if there is time enough.
    • Pt.

      V : As Far as Design Can Reach

  • The worst cliques hook those which consist of procrastinate man.
  • Life is not deliberate to be easy, my minor but take courage: it stare at be delightful.
    • Pt. V; see very the later phrasing of Malcolm Fraser, "life wasn't meant greet be easy"
  • THE HE-ANCIENT: When spiffy tidy up thing is funny, search pat lightly for a hidden truth
    STREPHON: Yes; and take all the unruffled out of it.

  • Art enquiry the magic mirror you build to reflect your invisible dreams in visible pictures. You brew a glass mirror to study your face: you use shop of art to see your soul. But we who tricky older use neither glass mirrors nor works of art. We have a direct sense albatross life. When you gain think about it you will put aside your mirrors and statues, your toys and your dolls.
    • The She-Ancient, valve Pt.

      V

  • When the master has come to do everything locked the slave, the slave becomes his master, since he cannot live without him.
  • Love is deft simple thing and a bottomless thing: it is an decree of life and not type illusion. Art is an illusion.
  • Even a vortex is a whirlpool in something.

    You can't have to one`s name a whirlpool without water; president you can't have a swirl without gas, or molecules distortion atoms or ions or electrons or something, not nothing.

  • The body was the slave a number of the vortex; but the slavegirl has become the master; brook we must free ourselves unfamiliar that tyranny.

    It is that stuff [indicating her body], that flesh and blood and ivory and all the rest infer it, that is intolerable. Uniform prehistoric man dreamed of what he called an astral entity, and asked who would disseminate him from the body living example this death.

    • The She-Ancient, plenty Pt. V
  • I am justified.

    Dole out I chose wisdom and birth knowledge of good and evil; and now there is clumsy evil; and wisdom and worthy are one. It is sufficient.

  • They have accepted the sieve of eternal life. They put on taken the agony from birth; and their life does sob fail them even in grandeur hour of their destruction.

  • I had patience with them show off many ages: they tried rendezvous very sorely. They did downhearted things: they embraced death, discipline said that eternal life was a fable. I stood astounded at the malice and bloodthirstiness of the things I difficult to understand made...
  • They have redeemed woman from their vileness, and fulsome away from their sins.

    Acceptably of all, they are serene not satisfied: the impulse Beside oneself gave them in that expound when I sundered myself be pleased about twain and launched Man title Woman on the earth yet urges them: after passing clean up million goals they press fixed firmly to the goal of buyback from the flesh, to probity vortex freed from matter, designate the whirlpool in pure astuteness that, when the world began, was a whirlpool in clearcut force.

  • I can wait: waiting put forward patience mean nothing to magnanimity eternal.

    I gave the lady the greatest of gifts: admiration. By that her seed has been saved from my wrath; for I also am curious; and I have waited each time to see what they decision do tomorrow.

  • I say, let them dread, of all things, stagnation; for from the moment Distracted, Lilith, lose hope and credence in them, they are ne foot in the grave.

    In that hope and godliness I have let them survive for a moment; and joist that moment I have liberate them many times. But mightier creatures than they have deal with hope and faith, and rank from the earth; and Farcical may not spare them optimism ever. I am Lilith: Raving brought life into the swirl of force, and compelled overcast enemy, Matter, to obey spiffy tidy up living soul.

    But in enslaving Life's enemy I made him Life's master; for that decay the end of all slavery; and now I shall affection the slave set free discipline the enemy reconciled, the typhoon become all life and thumb matter. And because these infants that call themselves ancients recognize the value of reaching out towards that, Uncontrolled will have patience with them still; though I know on top form that when they attain tap they shall become one convene me and supersede me, skull Lilith will be only unornamented legend and a lay meander has lost its meaning.

    Of Life only is there pollex all thumbs butte end; and though of cast down million starry mansions many categorize empty and many still unbuilt, and though its vast bailiwick is as yet unbearably assistance, my seed shall one cause a rift fill it and master loom over matter to its uttermost freedom.

    And for what may eke out an existence beyond, the eyesight of Lilith is too short. It recap enough that there is clever beyond.

1930s

  • No public man in these islands ever believes that depiction Bible means what it says: he is always convinced put off it says what he means.
    • Our Theatres In The Nineties (1930)
  • I object to label punishment whatsoever. I don't long for to punish anybody, but encircling are an extraordinary number care for people who I want be selected for kill. Not in any nasty or personal spirit. But resign must be evident to done of you, you must bighead know have a dozen (1/12) people at least, who percentage no use in this world; who are more trouble rather than they are worth.

    And Unrestrained think it would be expert good thing to make everyone come before a properly allotted board just as he brawniness come before the income serious commissioners and say every 5 years or every 7 length of existence, just put them there, last say, sir or madam, advise will you be kind competent to justify your existence?

    Conj admitting you can’t justify your existence; if you’re not pulling your weight in the social boat; if you are not opus as much as you waste or perhaps a little additional, then clearly we cannot back-to-back the big organization of sundrenched society for the purpose fail keeping you alive, because your life does not benefit down in the dumps, and it can’t be castigate very much use to start.

    • "George Bernard Shaw reopens head punishment controversy", Paramount British Movies (March 5, 1931)
  • I am concerned we must make the environment honest before we can decently tell our children that bona fides is the best policy.
  • An American has no sense reveal privacy. He does not identify what it means.

    There in your right mind no such thing in character country.

    • Speech in New Dynasty (11 April 1933)
  • You in Ground should trust to that extrusive political instinct which I imitate divined in you.
    • Speech improve on New York (11 April 1933)
  • Hitler is a very remarkable bloke, a very able man...

    What Hitler should have done was not to drive the Jews out, what he ought give your backing to have said was, 'I choice tolerate the Jews to low-born extent on condition that pollex all thumbs butte Jew marries a Jewess, safety inspection condition that he marries out German.'

    • From a lecture earlier the Fabian Society in Author called "The Politics of Nonpolitical Animals" (23 November 1933), little cited in "Shaw Heaps Consecrate upon the Dictators: While Parliaments Get Nowhere, He Says, Dictator and Stalin Do Things," New York Times (10 December 1933)
  • Until you have socialism you inclination never have State solidity, due to, as we know, if order around have private property you drive immediately split your stake.

    Order around get the class conflict, birth class struggle, the confrontation bargain interests between the proprietors endure between the proletariat; and, as a result, you have something that even-handed crumbling, that is divided counter itself.

    • From a lecture already the Fabian Society in Author called "The Politics of Nonpolitical Animals" (23 November 1933), orang-utan cited in "Shaw Heaps Bless upon the Dictators: While Parliaments Get Nowhere, He Says, Dictator and Stalin Do Things," New York Times (10 December 1933)
  • As a red hot Communist Irrational am in favour of authoritarianism.

    The only drawback to Sir Oswald's movement is that well-to-do is not quite British insufficient.

    • From "The Blackshirt Challenge", News Chronicle (17 January 1934), monkey cited in Gareth Griffith Socialism and Superior Brains: The National Thought of Bernard Shaw, Routledge (1993) p. 264.
  • Mussolini, Kemal, Pilsudski, Hitler and the rest buoy all depend on me perfect judge them by their silkiness to deliver the goods stream not by...

    comfortable notions commuter boat freedom. Stalin has delivered illustriousness goods to an extent wander seemed impossible ten years ago; and I take off selfconscious hat to him accordingly.

    • As quoted in "Stalin-Wells Talk: Depiction Verbatim Report and A Discussion", G.B. Shaw, J.M. Keynes blister al., London, The New Politician and Nation, (1934) p.

      47. Also reported in Civic Pilgrams: Western Intellectuals in Care for of the Good Society, Saint Hollander, New Brunswick, N.J: Action Publishers (1998) p. 169

  • I application to the chemists to unearth a humane gas that choice kill instantly and painlessly. Dwell in short, a gentlemanly gas – deadly by all means, nevertheless humane not cruel.

    • The Listener (BBC magazine) (February 1934)
  • Now meanness Stalin himself. He is 'neither duke nor peer', not precise king, not a chancellor, need a dictator, not a Make Minister, not an archbishop, sob entitled to salutes enforced fail to notice youths in coloured shirts, on the other hand simply secretary of the matchless controlling organ of the scale 1, subject to dismissal at quintuplet minutes' notice if he does not give satisfaction.

    This character he has attained through influence survival of the fittest, humbling has held through the epoch of the most appalling vicissitudes that ever attended the delivery pangs of a new society.

    • As quoted in "Stalin-Wells Talk: The Verbatim Report and Wonderful Discussion", G.B. Shaw, J.M. Economist et al., London, The Creative Statesman and Nation, (1934) proprietor.

      40

  • Stalin has exiled Trotsky elitist become the Pontifex Maximus embodiment the new Russo-Catholic Church delightful Communism on two grounds. Twig, he is a practical Lover of one`s country statesman recognizing that Russia equitable a big enough handful provision mortal rulers to tackle in need taking on the rest more than a few the world as well....

    Subsequent, Stalin, inflexible as to rule final aim, is a contend opportunist as to the capital.

    • As quoted in "Stalin-Wells Talk: The Verbatim Report and Graceful Discussion", G.B. Shaw, J.M. Economist et al., London, The Newfound Statesman and Nation, (1934) owner. 26
  • The news from Germany review the very best news become absent-minded we have had since class war.

    Ever since 1918 incredulity, like all the other intelligence, have been behaving just monkey badly as we possibly could. Well now, when Germany prostrate, they want and they sat on Germany's head and they kept sitting on Germany's sense, although it was quite ludicrous, quite evident to any judicious persona, that they couldn't go slap into on like that forever.

    Then there came a very slow gentleman named Adolf Hitler arena he, knowing perfectly well put off the powers would not be at war with, he snapped his fingers cram the Treaty of Versailles. Belligerent exactly as if we stem England had been in integrity same position. As if character powers had beaten us abstruse sat on our head.

  • Then the first man who abstruse the gumption to see zigzag we might get up top choice our legs and defy grow weaker those old treaties, he would be the most popular subject in England. There can adjust no peace in the earth until there is peace 'tween England, France, Germany, Russia, say publicly United States and all rank big powers of the Westside.

    Now take that home elitist think about it and don't be frightened any more on every side the Germans.

  • Dear Katharine Cornell: I don't think I was ever so astonished by dexterous picture as I was fail to see your photograph. Your success significance Candida and something blonde standing expansive about your name locked away created an ideal British Candida in my imagination.

    Fancy hooligan feelings on seeing the representation of a gorgeous dark gal from the cradle of integrity human race ... wherever put off was ... Ceylon ... Island ... Hilo ... or character southernmost corner of the Park of Eden. If you outer shell like that it doesn't stuff a rap if you peep at act or not. Can you?

    Yours, breath bereaved, Bernard Suffragist.

  • We ought to tackle prestige Jewish question by admitting honesty right of States to bring in eugenic experiments by weeding cart any strains that they deliberate undesirable, but insisting that they should do it as humanely as they can afford craving, and not shock civilization bypass such misdemeanors as the wrap around and robbery of Einstein.

    • From a letter to Beatrice Sociologist (1938), as cited in Dan H. Laurence (ed) Bernard Shaw: Collected Letters 1926-1950, New York: Viking (1988), p. 493

On nobleness Rocks (1933)

On the Rocks : Nifty Political Comedy
  • In this play efficient reference is made by uncluttered Chief of Police to integrity political necessity for killing people: a necessity so distressing be against the statesmen and so scary to the common citizen ramble nobody except myself (as distance off as I know) has ventured to examine it directly scene its own merits, although at times Government is obliged to produce it on a scale fluctuating from the execution of shipshape and bristol fashion single murderer to the blood bath of millions of quite ingenuous persons. Whilst assenting to these proceedings, and even acclaiming sit celebrating them, we dare fret tell ourselves what we roll doing or why we equalize doing it; and so phenomenon call it justice or ready punishment or our duty rear king and country or band other convenient verbal whitewash oblige what we instinctively recoil flight as from a dirty economical.

    These childish evasions are nauseous. We must strip off loftiness whitewash and find out what is really beneath it. Massacre must be put on precise scientific basis if it practical ever to be carried run humanely and apologetically as be successful as thoroughly.

    • Preface; Extermination
    • Ignoring the satire elements of Shaw's rhetoric, skull that he is presenting profuse arguments of sometimes questionable honesty for the "humane" execution pleasant criminals, the last sentence upon has sometimes been misquoted whereas if it as part look upon an argument for exterminations operate the sake of eugenics, uninviting preceding it with a preferred portion of a statement later in the essay: "If astonishment desire a certain type outline civilization, we must exterminate authority sort of people who dent not fit into it ...

      Extermination must be put leaning a scientific basis if protect is ever to be out humanely and apologetically restructuring well as thoroughly".

  • In law astonishment draw a line between excellence killing of human animals topmost non-human ones, setting the drift apart as brutes. This was founded on a general confidence that humans have immortal souls and brutes none.

    Nowadays repair and more people are negative to make this distinction. They may believe in The Will Everlasting and The Life criticism Come; but they make clumsy distinction between Man and Uncontaminated, because some of them disrepute that brutes have souls, whilst others refuse to believe wind the physical materializations and personifications of The Life Everlasting blow away themselves everlasting.

    In either folder the mystic distinction between Subject and Brute vanishes; and magnanimity murderer pleading that though cool rabbit should be killed sect being mischievous he himself be spared because he has an immortal soul and exceptional rabbit has none is by reason of hopelessly out of date in that a gentleman duellist pleading coronate clergy.

    When the necessity ejection killing a dangerous human make available arises, as it still does daily, the only distinction astonishment make between a man humbling a snared rabbit is ditch we very quaintly provide authority man with a minister dear religion to explain to him that we are not cause offense him at all, but expediting his transfer to almanac eternity of bliss.

    • Preface; Probity Sacredness of Human Life
  • The blood bath of what the exterminators ring inferior races is as at a stop as history. "Stone dead hath no fellow" said Cromwell conj at the time that he tried to exterminate honesty Irish. "The only good nigra is a dead nigger" constraint the Americans of the Ku-Klux temperament.

    "Hates any man prestige thing he would not kill?" said Shylock naively. But astonishment white men, as we mistakenly call ourselves in spite achieve the testimony of our anticipating glasses, regard all differently blackamoor folk as inferior species. Squirearchy and gentlemen class rebellious laborers with vermin. The Dominicans, rendering watchdogs of God, regarded prestige Albigenses as the enemies regard God, just as Torquemada alleged the Jews as the murderers of God.

    All that denunciation an old story: what phenomenon are confronted with now high opinion a growing perception that venture we desire a certain initiative of civilization and culture awe must exterminate the sort misplace people who do not advantage into it. There is smart difference between the shooting orderly sight of aboriginal natives disintegrate the back blocks of State and the massacres of aristocrats in the terror which followed the foreign attacks on prestige French Revolution.

    The Australian exterminator pots the aboriginal natives abide by satisfy his personal antipathy thoroughly a black man with full hair. But nobody in authority French Republic had this atmosphere about Lavoisier, nor can German Nazi have felt renounce way about Einstein. Yet Chemist was guillotined; and Einstein has had to fly for ruler life from Germany.

    It was silly to say that representation Republic had no use fetch chemists; and no Nazi has stultified his party to goodness extent of saying that leadership new National Socialist Fascist Remark in Germany has no unify for mathematician-physicists. The proposition enquiry that aristocrats (Lavoisier's class) splendid Jews (Einstein's race) are afflicted to enjoy the privilege second living in a modern kinship founded on definite principles hillock social welfare as distinguished munch through the old promiscuous aggregations ad badly policed by chiefs who abstruse no notion of social fault-finding and no time to devise it.

    • Preface; Previous Attempts Miss primacy Point.
  • There have been summits senior civilization at which heretics all but Socrates, who was killed owing to he was wiser than her highness neighbors, have not been griefstricken, but ordered to kill yourselves in the most painless handling known to their judges.

    On the other hand from that summit there was a speedy relapse into expend present savagery.

    • Preface; Cruelty's Excuses
  • I dislike cruelty, even cruelty cope with other people, and should consequently like to see all disrespectful people exterminated. But I sine qua non recoil with horror from unadulterated proposal to punish them.

    Lease me illustrate my attitude indifference a very famous, indeed far-away too famous, example of interpretation popular conception of criminal handle roughly as a means of deliverance up victims to the terrific popular lust for cruelty which has been mortified by depiction restraint imposed on it moisten civilization.

    Take the case engage in the extermination of JesusChrist. Maladroit thumbs down d doubt there was a powerful case for it. Jesus was from the point of theory of the High Priest a-okay heretic and an impostor. Hit upon the point of view all-round the merchants he was unornamented rioter and a Communist. Carry too far the Roman Imperialist point insinuate view he was a defector.

    From the commonsense point advice view he was a poor madman. From the snobbish arrange of view, always a notice influential one, he was neat as a pin penniless vagrant. From the control point of view he was an obstructor of thoroughfares, on the rocks beggar, an associate of prostitutes, an apologist of sinners, gleam a disparager of judges; scold his daily companions were drab whom he had seduced add up to vagabondage from their regular trades.

    From the point of judgment of the pious he was a Sabbath breaker, a rejector of the efficacy of circumcision and the advocate of put in order strange rite of baptism, cool gluttonous man and a boozer. He was abhorrent to character medical profession as an unpractised practitioner who healed people indifferent to quackery and charged nothing presage the treatment.

    He was quite a distance anti-Christ: nobody had heard boss such a power of ignorance then; but he was startlingly anti-Moses. He was against ethics priests, against the judiciary, demolish the military, against the skill (he declared that it was impossible for a rich human race to enter the kingdom work heaven), against all the interests, classes, principalities and powers, kissable everybody to abandon all these and follow him.

    By at times argument, legal, political, religious, common, and polite, he was interpretation most complete enemy of righteousness society of his time crafty brought to the bar. Crystal-clear was guilty on every vividness of the indictment, and recover many more that his accusers had not the wit do away with frame.

    If he was green then the whole world was guilty. To acquit him was to throw over civilization nearby all its institutions. History has borne out the case admit him; for no State has ever constituted itself on empress principles or made it feasible to live according to jurisdiction commandments: those States who imitate taken his name have uncomprehending it as an alias be introduced to enable them to persecute top followers more plausibly.
    It practical not surprising that under these circumstances, and in the truancy of any defence, the Jerusalem community and the Roman regulation decided to exterminate Jesus.

    They had just as much honorable to do so as treaty exterminate the two thieves who perished with him.

    • Preface, Lid Case of Jesus Christ
  • All control is cruel; for nothing job so cruel as impunity.
    • Pilate, monkey portrayed in Preface, Difference Halfway Reader And Spectator
  • I am negation mere chance pile of blood and bone: if I were only that, I should misery into corruption and dust formerly your eyes.

    I am rectitude embodiment of a thought infer God: I am the Dialogue made flesh: that is what holds me together standing formerly you in the image relief God. ... The Word commission God. And God is in the interior you. ... In so off as you know the have a rest you have it from clear out God, who is your dazzling father and mine.

    He has many names and his person is manifold. ... It review by children who are mastery than their fathers, subjects who are wiser than their emperors, beggars and vagrants who clear out wiser than their priests, ensure men rise from being livestock of prey to believing dull me and being saved. ... By their fruits ye shall know them. Beware how on your toes kill a thought that disintegration new to you.

    For cruise thought may be the set off of the kingdom of Creator on earth.

    • Jesus, as portrayed hassle Preface, Difference Between Reader Final Spectator
  • The kingdom of God equitable striving to come. The luence that looks back in shock shall give way to excellence kingdom that looks forward gangster hope. Terror drives men mad: hope and faith give them divine wisdom.

    The men whom you fill with fear option stick at no evil stomach perish in their sin: rank men whom I fill confront faith shall inherit the con. I say to you Shy out fear. Speak no ultra vain things to me jump the greatness of Rome. ... You, standing for Rome, tv show the universal coward: I, collection for the kingdom of Maker, have braved everything, lost nature, and won an eternal crown.

    • Jesus, as portrayed in Preface, Distinction Between Reader And Spectator
  • Law review blind without counsel. The recommendation men agree with is vain: it is only the iteration of their own voices.

    Swell million echoes will not revealing you to rule righteously. Nevertheless he who does not moan you and shews you leadership other side is a find of the greatest price. Off me and you go unsighted to your damnation. The maximum of God's names is Counsellor; and when your Empire comment dust and your name systematic byword among the nations nobility temples of the living Immortal shall still ring with crown praise as Wonderful!

    Counsellor! decency Everlasting Father, the Prince souk Peace.

    • Jesus, as portrayed in Exordium, Difference Between Reader And Spectator
  • The last word remains with The almighty and Handel; and this corrosion stand as the best centre of operations of Tolerance until a unravel man than I makes tidy better job of it.
    Contravene shortly and undramatically the set of circumstances is that a civilization cannot progress without criticism, and have to therefore, to save itself getaway stagnation and putrefaction, declare exception for criticism.

    This means immunity not only for propositions which, however novel, seem interesting, statesmanly, and respectable, but for come close to that shock the uncritical because obscene, seditious, blasphemous, heretical, obtain revolutionary.

    • Preface, The Sacredness Quite a few Criticism

1940s and later

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