patriotism quotes

   Patriotism is a lively sense of collective responsibility. Nationalism is a silly cock crowing on its own dunghill.

- Richard pseudonym of  Edward Godfree Aldington
The Colonel's Daughter, pt.1, ch.6.

I look forward to a time when Irish patriotism will as easily combine with British patriotism as Scottish patriotism combines now.

- ArthurJames Balfour, 1st Earl Balfour
  Speech, Glasgow, Dec.

Patriotism is seen not onlyas the last refuge of the scoundrel but as the first bolt-hole of the hypocrite. See Johnson 444:8.

- Melvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg
  Speak For England, introduction.

Standing, as I do, in view of God and eternity, I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone.

- Edith Louisa Cavell
  On the eve of her execution. Reported in The Times, 23 Oct.

Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out for yourself while looking out for your country.

- (John) Calvin Coolidge
Attributed.

To fight for the right, to abhor the imperfect, the unjust, or the mean, to swerve neither to the right hand nor the left, to care nothing for flattery or applause or odium or abuseit is so easy to have any of them in Indianever to let your enthusiasm be soured or your courage grow dim but to remember that the Almighty has placed your hand on the greatest of his ploughs, in whose furrow the nations of the future are germinating and taking shape, to drive the blade a little forward in your time and to feel that somewhere among those millions you have left, a little justice, or happiness or prosperity, a sense of manliness or moral dignity, a springof patriotism, a dawn of intellectual enlightenmentora stirringofduty whereit did not exist beforethat is enough, that is the Englishman's justification in India.

- Lord George Nathaniel Curzon (of Kedleston)
  Farewell speech on departing from Bombay as Viceroy of India.

Nationalism, and its chum, patriotism, encourage unedifying hyperbole.

- Douglas Eaglesham Dunn
  'Language and Liberty', introduction to the Faber Book of Twentieth Century Scottish Poetry.

   Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

- Samuel known as Dr Johnson Johnson
  Remark,7  Apr. Collected in  James Boswell  The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), vol.2.

We have been too comfortable and too indulgentmany, perhaps, too selfishand the stern hand of fatehasscoured ustoan elevationwhere we can see the great everlasting things that matter for a nation; the great peaks we had forgotten, of honour, duty, patriotism, and, clad in glittering white, the great pinnacle of sacrifice pointing like a rugged finger to Heaven.We shall descend into the valleys again, but as long as men and women of thisgeneration last, they will carry in their hearts the image of those great mountain peaks, whose foundations are not shaken, though Europe rock and sway in the convulsions of a great war.

- David, 1st Earl Lloyd George (of Dwyfor)
  Speech, London,19 Sep.

Patriotism inVietnamtook the communist road because it was the only one available. It had the appeal of a dream, a dream of social justice.

- Xuan Oanh Nguyen
  In the Eastern Express,17 May.

What istheuse offighting for thevoteif we donot havea country to vote in? With that patriotism that has nerved womento enduretorture inprison for thenational good, we ardently desire that our country shall be victorious.

- Emmeline ne  e  Goulden Pankhurst
  Declaring a truce on suffragette activities for the duration of WorldWar I,10 Aug.

There is only one bright spot and that is the growing habit of disgruntled men of dynamiting factories and power stations. I hope that, encouraged now as patriotism, it may remain a habit! But it won't do any good, if it is not universal.

-J(ohn) R(onald) R(euel) Tolkien
  Letter to ChristopherTolkien, 29 Apr.