T. H. White
- The Once and Future King
There is no excuse for war, none whatever, and whatever the wrong which your nation might be doing to mine - short of war - my nation would be in the wrong if it started a war so as to redress it. A murderer, for instance, is not allowed to plead that his victim was rich and oppressing him - so why should a nation be allowed to?
T. H. White
- The Once and Future King
When I started the Table, it was to stop anarchy. It was a channel for brute force, so that people who had to use force could be made to do it in a useful way. But the whole thing was a mistake. No, don't interrupt me. It was a mistake because the Table itself was founded on force. Right must be established by right: it can't be established by Force Majeur.
Jules Verne
- The Mysterious Island
There are two possibilities: either someone was already here when we came, or someone has come within the last three months. We don't know whether they came intentionally or were shipwrecked, whether they're friendly or hostile, whether they're still here or have already left. Those questions are vitally important to us.