PORTIUS: ‘Tis not in mortals to command success,
But we’ll do more, Sempronius; we’ll deserve it.Joseph Addison (1672-1719) English essayist, poet, statesman
Cato, Act 1, sc. 2, l. 43ff (1713)
(Source)
This passage was widely known to America's Founders; John Adams paraphrases it in a letter to his wife Abigail (1776-02-18), and George Washington in letters to Nicholas Cooke (1775-10-29) and, most famously, Benedict Arnold (1775-12-05).
Quotations about:
deserts
Note not all quotations have been tagged, so Search may find additional quotes on this topic.
CALVIN: I wish I could just take a pill to be perfect and I wish I could just push a button and have anything I want.
HOBBES: The American Dream lives on.
CALVIN: Why should I have to work for everything?! It’s like saying I don’t deserve it!
