Thoughts on England

 

With the world’s attention focused on the Brits, or at least that part of the world that watches Olympic events, some thoughts on England . . .  

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,-
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.
- William Shakespeare, King Richard II. 

England has two books; the Bible and Shakespeare. England made Shakespeare, but the Bible made England.

Victor Hugo 

We may be a small country, but we're a great one, too. The country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter. David Beckham's right foot. David Beckham's left foot, come to that.

-        Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister, Love Actually 

The British are special. The world knows it. In our innermost thoughts we know it. This is the greatest nation on earth.
Tony Blair 

England is a nation of shopkeepers.
Napoleon Bonaparte 

Ask any man what nationality he would prefer to be, and ninety nine out of a hundred will tell you that they would prefer to be Englishmen.

Cecil Rhodes 

There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word, which means more to me than any other. That word is England.

Winston Churchill 

The reason why Englishmen are the best husbands in the world is because they want to be faithful. A Frenchman or an Italian will wake up in the morning and wonder what girl he will meet. An Englishman wakes up and wonders what the cricket score is.
Barbara Cartland 

The British have an umbilical cord which has never been cut and through which tea flows constantly. It is curious to watch them in times of sudden horror, tragedy or disaster. The pulse stops apparently, and nothing can be done, and no move made, until "a nice cup of tea" is quickly made. There is no question that it brings solace and does steady the mind. What a pity all countries are not so tea-conscious. World-peace conferences would run more smoothly if "a nice cup of tea", or indeed, a samovar were available at the proper time.
Marlene Dietrich 

When I warned them (the French Government) that Britain would fight on alone whatever they did, their generals told their Prime Minister and his divided Cabinet, "In three weeks England will have her neck wrung like a chicken." Some chicken! Some neck!

Winston Churchill

(Speech to Canadian Parliament, 1941) 

There'll always be an England,
While there's a country lane.
Wherever there's a cottage small
Beside a field of grain
There'll always be an England
While there's a busy street.
. . .

There'll always be an England
And England shall be free
If England means as much to you
As England means to me.

Vera Lynn 

I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and of a King of England too; and think foal scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm.

Queen Elizabeth 1

(Speech to the troops at Tilbury on the approach of the Armada 1588) 

He is an Englishman!
For he himself has said it,
And it's greatly to his credit,
That he is an Englishman! 

Gilbert & Sullivan

HMAS Pinafore 

I've been through my fair share of being called a Pommy bastard, I can assure you.  Look what it's done to me. My God, it was good for the character.  You want to develop character - go to Australia.

Prince Charles