Britain has long been a source of rich cultural heritage, sharp wit, and profound wisdom. Its people have expressed their thoughts in ways that resonate across centuries, capturing the essence of life, humor, and philosophy. This collection of over 105 British quotes offers a glimpse into the national character, from the humorous to the profound, the patriotic to the everyday. These quotes reflect the British spirit—modesty mixed with pride, humor tinged with irony, and a deep love for tradition and language.
105 British Quotes Filled with Charm and Insight
1. “All that glitters is not gold. ”
2. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. ”
3. “Modest about our national pride – and inordinately proud of our national modesty. ”
4. “Britain: the land of embarrassment and breakfast. ”
5. “Let us pause to consider the English. Who when they pause to consider themselves they get all reticently thrilled and tinglish. ”
6. “The people of England are never as happy as when you tell them they are ruined. ”
7. “This blessed plot, this earth, this realm. This England, this nurse, this teaming womb of royal kings. ”
8. “We few. We happy few. We band of brothers. ”
9. “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more. ”
10. “It is not that the Englishman can’t feel…it is that he is afraid to feel. ”
11. “England is a nation of shopkeepers!”
12. “In England there are sixty different religions, and only one sauce. ”
13. “On the continent people have good food; in England people have good manners. ”
14. “Many continentals think life is a game; the English think cricket is a game. ”
15. “An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one. ”
16. “Remember that you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first place in the lottery of life. ”
17. “American politicians do anything for money. . . English politicians take the money and won’t do anything. ”
18. “A smooth sea never made a skilful mariner. ”
19. “Children are a poor man’s riches. ”
20. “What good is running if one is on the wrong road. ”
21. “The English are so filled with their own greatness and have won so many big victories that they have come to believe they cannot lose. ”
22. “The English are great lovers of themselves and of everything belonging to them. ”
23. “We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language. ”
24. “The English are not a very spiritual people, so they invented cricket to give them some idea of eternity. ”
25. “If I should die, think only this of me: That there’s some corner of a foreign field, That is forever England. ”
26. “The maxim of the British people is ‘Business as usual. ‘”
27. “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. ”
28. “The language itself is like some bewitchment or seduction from the past. ”
29. “Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North, The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth. ”
30. “Scotland small? Our multiform, infinite Scotland SMALL?”
31. “The English certainly and fiercely pride themselves in never praising themselves. ”
32. “It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction. ”
33. “Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love. ”
34. “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax. ”
35. “I never think of the future. It comes soon enough. ”
36. “Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind. ”
37. “Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds. ”
38. “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. ”
39. “The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources. ”
40. “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. ”
41. “Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school. ”
42. “Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you, mine are still greater. ”
43. “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe. ”
44. “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. ”
45. “In order to form an immaculate member of a flock of sheep one must, above all, be a sheep. ”
46. “The fear of death is the most unjustified of all fears. ”
47. “The release of atom power has changed everything except our way of thinking. ”
48. “If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker. ”
49. “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts. ”
50. “Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results. ”
51. “I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. ”
52. “Imagination is more important than knowledge. ”
53. “Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. ”
54. “If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself. ”
55. “Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere. ”
56. “The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible. ”
57. “Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen. ”
58. “Try not to become just a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. ”
59. “When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. ”
60. “When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. ”
61. “That’s relativity. ”
62. “A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. ”
63. “If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut. ”
64. “Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. ”
65. “Invariably they are both disappointed. ”
66. “A ship is always safe at the shore – but that is NOT what it is built for. ”
67. “If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed. ”
68. “Even on the most solemn occasions I got away without wearing socks and hid that lack of civilization in high boots. ”
69. “A person starts to live when he can live outside himself. ”
70. “It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense. ”
71. “Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized. ”
72. “If you win, you need not have to explain. . . If you lose, you should not be there to explain!”
73. “If you want to shine like sun first you have to burn like it. ”
74. “Do not compare yourself to others. If you do so, you are insulting yourself. ”
75. “Great liars are also great magicians. ”
76. “Think thousand times before taking a decision. But after taking decision never turn back even if you get thousand difficulties!”
77. “Anyone can deal with victory. Only the mighty can bear defeat. ”
78. “Humanitarianism is the expression of stupidity and cowardice. ”
79. “The man who has no sense of history, is like a man who has no ears or eyes. ”
80. “Hate is more lasting than dislike. ”
81. “I do not see why man should not be just as cruel as nature. ”
82. “It is not truth that matters, but victory. ”
83. “The English never smash in a face. They merely refrain from asking it to dinner. ”
84. “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King. ”
85. “The English are never as happy as when you tell them they are ruined. ”
86. “Let no one sneer at the bruisers of England. ”
87. “If I should die, think only this of me: That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is forever England. ”
88. “The Englishman is convinced that to be an Englishman is to belong to the most exclusive club there is. ”
89. “The Englishman is afraid to feel. He has been taught that feeling is bad form. ”
90. “The English are great lovers of themselves and of everything belonging to them. ”
91. “The English certainly and fiercely pride themselves in never praising themselves. ”
92. “The English are so filled with their own greatness that they believe they cannot lose. ”
93. “The English think cricket is a game. ”
94. “The English form an orderly queue of one even when alone. ”
95. “The English maxim is ‘Business as usual. ‘”
96. “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. ”
97. “The English language is like some bewitchment from the past. ”
98. “The English are modest about their national pride. ”
99. “The English are proud of their national modesty. ”
100. “The English are a nation of shopkeepers. ”
101. “The English have good manners. ”
102. “The English never praise themselves. ”
103. “The English are great lovers of themselves. ”
104. “The English are confident in battle. ”
105. “The English are proud of their history and victories. ”
Conclusion
These British quotes reveal a nation rich in humor, pride, and reflection. They show a people who value tradition, wit, and resilience. From Shakespeare’s timeless lines to witty observations on English manners and character, these sayings capture the essence of Britain’s cultural identity. Whether humorous or serious, these quotes continue to inspire and entertain, reflecting the enduring spirit of the British people.
