duties quotes

No duties, only opportunities.

-Anonymous
Motto of Princeton, N J, Institute for  Advanced Study. Quoted in Ed Regis Who Got Einstein's Office? (1988).

Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say: 'This was their finest hour.'

- Lord Randolph Henry Spencer Churchill
  Speech,18  Jun. Quoted in  A  J P  Taylor English History 1914^45, p.491.

Property has its duties as well as its rights.

-Thomas Drummond
  Letter to the Earl of Donoughmore, 22 May.

I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility, and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish, without the help and support of the woman I love.

-Edward VIII
  Radio broadcast to the nation,11 Dec, following his abdication to marry Wallis Simpson.

If I had no duties, and no reference to futurity, I would spend my life in driving briskly in a post-chaise with a pretty woman.

- Samuel known as Dr Johnson Johnson
  Remark,19 Sep. Quoted in  James Boswell The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), vol.3.

One of the first duties of the physician is to educate the masses not to take medicine.

- Sir William Osler
Collected in W B Bean (ed) Sir William Osler:  Aphorisms from His Bedside Teachings and Writings (1950).

  Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee: she is a fen Of stagnant waters: altar, sword and pen, Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower, Have forfeited their ancient English dower Of inward happiness.We are selfish men; Oh! raise us up, return to us again; And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power. Thy soul was like a star, and dwelt apart; Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea: Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free, So didst thou travel on life's common way, In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart The lowliest duties on herself did lay.

-William Wordsworth
  'Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour', complete poem (published1807).