Central European History

Famous quotes containing the words central, european and/or history:

    My solitaria
    Are the meditations of a central mind.
    I hear the motions of the spirit and the sound
    Of what is secret becomes, for me, a voice
    That is my own voice speaking in my ear.
    Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)

    When the inhabitants of some sequestered island first descry the “big canoe” of the European rolling through the blue waters towards their shores, they rush down to the beach in crowds, and with open arms stand ready to embrace the strangers. Fatal embrace! They fold to their bosoms the vipers whose sting is destined to poison all their joys; and the instinctive feeling of love within their breasts is soon converted into the bitterest hate.
    Herman Melville (1819–1891)

    It’s a very delicate surgical operation—to cut out the heart without killing the patient. The history of our country, however, is a very tough old patient, and we’ll do the best we can.
    Dudley Nichols, U.S. screenwriter. Jean Renoir. Sorel (Philip Merivale)