John Burns

Books are a real solace, friendships are good but action is better than all.

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I neither drink nor smoke, because my schoolmaster impressed upon me three cardinal virtues; cleanliness in person, cleanliness in mind; temperance.

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The Thames is liquid history.

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I recognise that Socialism has ended its purely theoretical course, and that the hour to construct has come.

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I must firmly adhere to the views I have held and practice, that Socialism to succeed must be practical, tolerant, cohesive and consciously compromising with Progressive forces running, if not so far, in parallel lines towards its own goal.

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You come before me this morning with clean hands and clean collars. I want you to have clean tongues, clean manners, clean morals and clean characters.

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I don't want to be married. I don't know - it sounds crazy, but in my mind, it's all connected. You get married, you have kids, you grow old, then you die. Somehow, it seems to me, if you didn't get married, you wouldn't die.

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The secret of teaching is to appear to have known all your life what you learned only yesterday.

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Quotes by John Burns