178 Quotes by Dorothy Dunnett

I have been taught to face reality: an excellent thing.

Civility’s nearly as dull as sobriety and I cannot – will not – be labelled dull. I have peper and piones, and a pound of garlik; a ferthing-worth of fenel-seed for fasting dayes, but dullness have I none: nor am I overfond of being discussed.

I have learned,’ said Lymond, ’that kindness without love is no kindness.

Immoderation, Mariotta, is a thief of money and intestinal joy, but who’d check it? Not I. Here I am, weeping soft tears of myrrh, to prove it.

Intolerance drunk is bad enough, but intolerance sober is quite insupportable.

The board is clearing. The old game is almost played, and the pieces broken.

I dislike untidy wars, as I dislike untidy peacemaking.

Five years ago your brother Lymond was found to have been selling his own country for years: he’s been kicked from land to land committing every crime on the calendar and now he’s back here, God forgive him, with filthier habits and a nastier mind than he set out with.

Acrostics in French or acrostics in Hebrew were still Greek to him.