February 13

"The histories of mankind are histories only of the higher classes."

Thomas Malthus
(02/13/1766 – 12/23/1834)
English economist
(image courtesy of Bridgeman Art Library)

"What do you sell, O ye merchants?
Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirrors with panels of Amber,
Daggers with handles of jade."

Sarojini Naidu
(02/13/1879 – 03/02/1949)
Indian activist ("In The Bazaars of Hyderabad")

"I write music with an exclamation point!"

Richard Wagner
(05/22/1813 – 02/13/1883)
German composer

"I won't lock my doors or bar them either if any of the old coots in the pictures out in the hall want to come out of their frames for a friendly chat."

Bess Truman
(02/13/1885 – 10/18/1982)
US first lady (40) , on living in the White House
(was married to Harry S Truman)

"I had to go to France to appreciate Iowa."

Grant Wood
(02/13/1891 – 02/12/1942)
US artist
(died near his birthday)

"When the Supreme Court moved to Washington in 1800, it was provided with no books, which probably accounts for the high quality of early opinions."

Robert H. Jackson
(02/13/1892 – 10/09/1954)
US Supreme Court justice

"Englishwomen's shoes look as if they had been made by someone who had often heard shoes described but who had never seen any."

Margaret Halsey
(02/13/1910 – 02/04/1997)
English writer ("With Malice Toward Some")

"He started out at the bottom, and sort of likes it there."

Tennessee Ernie Ford
(02/13/1919 – 10/17/1991)
US singer

"Rules are made for people who aren't willing to make up their own."

Chuck Yeager
(02/13/1923 – 12/07/2020)
US test pilot

"Canada Post doesn't really charge 32 cents for a stamp. It's 2 cents for postage, and 30 cents for storage." *

Gerald Regan
(02/13/1928 – 11/26/2019)
Canadian premier

"For every answer, I like to bring up a question. Maybe I'm related to Alfred Hitchcock or maybe I got to know him too well, but I think life should be that way."

Kim Novak
(02/13/1933 – )
US actor

"You should be a hero to yourself. If you're not... check it out."

Peter Tork
(02/13/1942 – 02/21/2019)
US musician (Monkees)

"Artists everywhere steal mercilessly all the time and I think this is healthy."

Peter Gabriel
(02/13/1950 – )
English singer

"In hospitals there is no time off for good behavior."

Josephine Tey
(07/25/1896 – 02/13/1952)
Scottish writer ("The Daughter of Time")

"Musicians should not play music. Music should play musicians."

Henry Rollins
(02/13/1961 – )
US singer, songwriter

"It's nice when people want your autograph, but it's a little strange because I never expected it. I still kind of think, 'Oh, who am I?"

Mena Suvari
(02/13/1979 – )
US actor

"There's always one more way to do something: Your way."

Waylon Jennings
(06/15/1937 – 02/13/2002)
US musician ("Lonesome, On'ry and Mean")

"In a big family, the first child is kind of like the first pancake. If it's not perfect, that's okay, there are a lot more coming along."

Antonin Scalia
(03/11/1936 – 02/13/2016)
US Supreme Court justice