“The capacity to learn is a gift; The ability to learn is a skill; The
willingness to learn is a choice.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“How will I be remembered by my children? This is the true measure of a man.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to
believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“The greatest and most important problems of life cannot be solved. They can
only be outgrown.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Look inside yourself and you can see the universe.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Let the future remain uncertain, for that is the canvas to receive our desires.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“No person can ever know everything that is in the heart of another. We are
all Face Dancers in our souls.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“The universe is our picture. Only the immature imagine the cosmos to be what
they think it is.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“The Universe operates on a basic principle of economics: everything has its
cost. We pay to create our future, we pay for the mistakes of the past. We
pay for every change we make . . . and we pay just as dearly if we refuse to
change.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Freedom is an elusive concept. Some men hold themselves prisoner even when they have the power to do as they please and go where they choose, while others are free in their hearts, even as shackles restrain them.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Discovery is dangerous . . . but so is life. A man unwilling to take risk is
doomed never to learn, never to grow, never to live.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“No one has yet determined the power of the human species . . . what it may
perform by instinct, and what it may accomplish with rational determination.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“If you surrender, you have already lost. If you refuse to give up, though, no
matter the odds against you, at least you have succeeded in trying.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“It is said that there is nothing firm, nothing balanced, nothing durable in all
the universe -- that nothing remains in its original state, that each day, each
hour, each moment, there is change.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“We are indeed miserable, my friends, but we don’t have to be dismal about it.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Baron Vladimir Harkonnen had made a lifetime career of seeking new experiences. He dabbled in hedonistic pleasures - rich foods, exotic drugs, deviant sex - discovering things he had never done before.
But a baby in Harkonnen Keep...how would he handle that?”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“You carve wounds upon my flesh and write there in salt!”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“What is this Love that so many speak of with such apparent familiarity? Do
they truly comprehend how unattainable it is? Are there not as many
definitions of Love as there are stars in the universe?”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Though death will cancel it, life in this world is a glorious thing.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“The Unknown surrounds us at any given moment. That is where we seek knowledge.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“There is no reality -- only our own order imposed on everything.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Some say that the anticipation of a thing is better than the thing itself. In
my view, this is utter nonsense. Any fool can imagine a prize. I desire the
tangible.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“A man may fight the greatest enemy, take the longest journey, survive the most
grievous wound -- and still be helpless in the hands of the woman he loves.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Quite a body count around here today, Fenring mused. And I didn't kill any of them.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Looking closely at de Vries, he added, 'You are a very ugly man, Piter. Even with my disease, I'm still prettier than you.”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Discovery is dangerous . . . but so is life. A man unwilling to take risks is doomed never to learn, never to grow, never to live. —Planetologist Pardot Kynes, An Arrakis Primer, written for his son Liet”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence. —Caedmon Erb, Politics and Reality”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“The purpose of argument is to change the nature of truth. —Bene Gesserit Precept I”
― Brian Herbert, quote from House Harkonnen
“Aye, I feared as much,” muttered Mora as she sat down across from Bridget and took a hearty drink of cider. “That big fool. He hasnae completed the mating. Tisnae good. Nay, ’tisnae good at all. Especially if that bitch Edmee finds out.” “Mora, what are ye talking about? The marriage has been consummated. Quite thoroughly.” “Ah, lass, the laird obviously waits to be sure ye have fully accepted him, accepted him for what he is, all that he is. He hasnae given ye the bite yet.” Bridget frowned, not certain she liked the implications of that. “He does bite me.” “Love bites, wee nips, but nay the bite. Being that he is a halfling, mayhap he doesnae have to. I hadnae considered that. Halflings are always different in some way from Purebloods.” After taking a long drink of cider to calm her rising temper, Bridget said, “Tell me, Mora, what ye mean by the mating and the bite. Ye keep starting to tell me, then wander off the subject, and, weel, end up talking more to yourself than to me.” “Pardon. Tis nay widely kenned. Tis one of the MacNachtons’ most closely guarded secrets. I learned of it because, weel, a wee bit o’er twenty years ago I was in love with a Pureblood. Ye ken my son David, aye?” “David is the son of a Pureblood? But he has reddish hair. I have seen him about during the day as weel.” “Aye, he is more our kind than theirs, but the MacNachton blood is in him. He is a strong, healthy lad, always was. And, though he can go about in the daylight, he has to be most careful, avoiding the full heat of the day and such as that. Seems way back in his father’s line one of his ancestors mated with a halfling. The wee added bit of our blood is what has made my David so blessed. The laird has seen that my lad is educated and he will be verra important to the clan. Already is in many ways.” “Can ye tell me who his father is, or is that a secret?” “Jankyn.” Mora laughed briefly at Bridget’s obvious shock, then sighed. “Aye, Jankyn doesnae look a day older than our son, aye? But he is my age. And that was some of the problem. Oh, I did love that lad.” “Jankyn is easy to love, e’en when ye wish ye had a thick stick in hand to clout him o’er the head.” Mora grinned and nodded, then grew serious. “It was both wondrous and awful, heaven and hell. Twas a delight when I was with him and a pure torment when I thought on the years ahead. I could see it as it is now all too clearly, with me as I am and him still looking like a bonnie lad of twenty. Ah, but he said he wished to marry me, and I was sorely tempted. Was near to saying aye when he told me the secret about the mating, about the bite.” Mora nodded when Bridget touched her own neck. “Aye, for ones such as us, ’tisnae just a wee thing, is it? We cannae heal as they can. We arenae as strong. Mayhap I just didnae love him enough. I couldnae do it. My heart, my body, aye. My blood? To let him feed on me, e’en just a wee bit? Nay, I couldnae. E’en when I kenned I carried David, I couldnae, and, being a Pureblood, Jankyn couldnae swear that he wouldnae do it. He couldnae be sure he would be able to stop himself from completing the mating.” “It has to be the neck? He couldnae just take a wee sip from somewhere else?” “Nay, I dinnae think so. Tis like this—when ye are together as mon and wife, just as he spills his seed, he bites ye and has a wee taste.” “Every time?” Bridget asked in alarm, thinking of all the times Cathal had nipped at her neck while they made love. “Wheesht, nay. Just the once.” “Oh, thank God. If ’twas every time, I wouldnae last out the week.” She blushed when Mora laughed heartily. “Aye, the laird does have the fever for ye. Nay, lass, ’tis just the once. Tis done on the wedding night. As the mon gives ye his seed, gives ye a part of him as it were, he takes a wee bit from ye. Tis a blending and ’tis what binds him to ye as a mate.” Bridget”
― Hannah Howell, quote from The Eternal Highlander
“But women are very differently situated with respect to eachother - for they are all rivals (...) Is it then surprising that when the sole ambition of woman centres in beauty, and interest gives vanity additional force, perpetual rivalships should ensue? They are all running the same race, and would rise above the virtue of morals, if they did not view each other with a suspicious and even envious eye.”
― Mary Wollstonecraft, quote from A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
“Let us learn our lessons. Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on that strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The Statesman who yields to war fever must realise that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.”
― Winston S. Churchill, quote from My Early Life, 1874-1904
“Socrates: So even our walks are dangerous here. But you seem to have avoided the most dangerous thing of all.
Bertha: What's that?
Socrates: Philosophy.
Bertha: Oh, we have philosophers here.
Socrates: Where are they?
Bertha: In the philosophy department.
Socrates: Philosophy is not department.
Bertha: Well, we have philosophers.
Socrates: Are they dangerous?
Bertha: Of course not.
Socrates: Then they are not true philosophers.”
― Peter Kreeft, quote from Socrates Meets Jesus: History's Greatest Questioner Confronts the Claims of Christ
“Only surrendered Christians will make an impact on our world. The world does not need any more lukewarm Christians, or lazy Christians, or quarrelsome Christians, or doubting Christians, or prideful Christians.”
― Billy Graham, quote from Hope for Each Day: Words of Wisdom and Faith
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