Saturday, June 6, 2009

Commonplace Book: "But"

"But" is to me a more detestable combination of letters than "no" itself. "No" is a surly, honest fellow, speaks his mind rough and round at once. "But" is a sneaking, evasive, half-bred, exceptious sort of a conjunction, which comes to pull away the cup just when it is at your lips.

Sir Walter Scott, The Antiquary