Pretext Quotes

We must always work, and a self-respecting artist must not fold his hands on the pretext that he is not in the…

— Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Treacherous assassins, enemies of the people, and worthy of everyone's ridicule are those who, under the pretext of guiding future generations, teach…

— Jose Marti

Of all hostile feelings, envy is perhaps the hardest to be subdued, because hardly any one owns it even to himself, but…

— Richard Whately

[Censors are] people with secret attractions to various temptations... They are defending themselves under the pretext of defending others, because at heart…

— Ernest Jones

When observers look back 50 years from now, the arguments supporting Florida's ban on same-sex marriage, though just as sincerely held [as…

— Robert Lewis Hinkle

The tone and tendency of liberalism...is to attack the institutions of the country under the name of reform and to make war…

— Benjamin Disraeli

War always reaches the depths of horror because of idiots who perpetuate terror from generation to generation under the pretext of vengeance.

— Guy Sajer

I wrote a study about this question, The Lessons of October, which served as a pretext for my elimination from the government.

— Leon Trotsky

There is nothing an addict likes more, or that serves as better pretext for continuing his present way of life, than to…

— Theodore Dalrymple

There is no family in America without a clock, and consequently there is no fair pretext for the usual Sunday medley of…

— Mark Twain

The enemy is only a pretext to test our strength

— Paulo Coelho

...the great movement of apostasy being organized in every country for the establishment of a One-World Church which shall have neither dogmas,…

— Pope Pius X

Often, the pretexts for starting a war are not real shortages of land, food or fuel, but rather perceptions - like fear,…

— Victor Davis Hanson

Temporary deviations from fundamental principles are always more or less dangerous. When the first pretext fails, those who become interested in prolonging…

— James Madison

If there is no sufficient reason for war, the war party will make war on one pretext, then invent another.

— Robert M. La Follette, Sr

Let's not use the term democracy as a play on words which is what people commonly do, using human rights as a…

— Alejandro Castro Espin

To large numbers of American citizens life in certain parts of the country becomes intolerably hazardous. They may be seized on any…

— H. L. Mencken

We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.

— Quintilian

. . . [T]hese [ideas] are only suggestions of the evil spirit who, to jeopardize your salvation, suggests to you extraordinary works…

— Vincent de Paul

Colonialism subdues in many dulcet guises. It conquered under the pretext of spreading Christianity, civilization, law and order, to make the world…

— F. Sionil Jose

The whole drug war is nothing but a pretext to increase police power and personnel, and that, of course, is dead wrong.…

— William S. Burroughs

Managers at [the nuclear] sector should know that we need diplomacy and not slogans, .. This [is] where we should use all…

— Bill Vaughan

It is much safer to be subject than it is to command. Many live in obedience more from necessity than from love.…

— Thomas a Kempis

A dinner! How horrible! I am to be made the pretext for killing all those wretched animals and birds, and fish! Thank…

— George Bernard Shaw

It seems to me that the moment has come when the question of bombing of German cities simply for the sake of…

— Winston Churchill