capable quotes

It is frivolous stuff, and how rare, how precious is frivolity! How few writers can prostitute all their powers! Theyare always implying 'I am capable of higher things.'

- E(dward) M(organ) Forster
  Abinger Harvest,'Ronald Firbank'.

Nobody has ever been able to define jazz satisfactorily. This is probably because anyone who was capable of doing so never really wantedto, knowing how muchyou would have to leave out of the definition.

- Mary Henrietta Kingsley
  The Jazz  Anthology, ch.1

Thankstohis bodily formand thankstohismind, [man] is a universal machine, capable of an infinite diversity of movement.

- Ferdinand Redtenbacher
  Resultate fur den Maschinenbau (published1848).

Consumer: A person who is capable of choosing a president but incapable of choosing a bicycle without help from a government agency.

- Herbert Stein
  Washington Bedtime Stories.