1577 R. STANYHURST Hist. Ireland in Holinshed Chronicles 89 It is easie to raze,
but hard to buylde. 1587 J. BRIDGES Defence of Government in Church of England VI.
518 We may quicklier pull downe with one hande, than wee can easilie builde againe with
both. 1644 J. HOWELL Dodona’s Grove 134 In politicall affaires, as well as mechanicall,
it is farre easier to pull downe, then build up. 1909 Times 29 Apr. 9 Turkey and her new
rulers.. have astonished those who thought they knew the Turks best by..the vigour..with
which the great change has been conducted. .. But it is easier always and everywhere to
pull down than to build up. 1932 C. BROGAN Ghost Walks 22 Some of the local boys
tried it in the usual way. You know the kind of thing ‘...the fair fame of our city is
impugned, the great achievements of our forefathers are being distorted by a morbid
mind, it is easier to knock down than build up,’ and so on. destructionPUNCTUALITY is the politeness of princesFr. l’exactitude est la politesse des rois, punctuality is the politeness of kings (attributed to
Louis XVIII, 1755–1824).
1834 M. EDGEWORTH Helen II. ix. ‘Punctuality is the virtue of princes.’.. Mr.
Harley.. would have ridiculed so antiquated a notion. 1854 SURTEES Handley Cross (ed.
2) xli. Punctuality is the purlitness o’ princes, and I doesn’t like keepin’ people waitin’.
1930 G. MITCHELL Mystery of Butcher Shop (1990) iii. 31 ‘Now do try to be down in
time for breakfast to-morrow morning. Remember—“Punctuality is the politeness of
princes.” So charming of them, I always think. 1981 P. MCCUTCHAN Shard calls Tune
xv. One should never keep people waiting; punctuality was the politeness of princes.
politeness; punctualityPUNCTUALITY is the soul of business1853 T. C. HALIBURTON Wise Saws I. iii. ‘Punctuality,’ sais I, ‘my lord, is the soul
of business.’ 1911 w. CROSSING Folk Rhymes of Devon 16 Punctuality is the soul of
business, and in these days of cheap watches there can be no excuse for anybody failing
to cultivate the habit. 1940 C. DICKSON And so to Murder 181 Punctuality.. has been
called the politeness of kings. It’s more than that: it’s plain good business. business;
punctualitypunished see CORPORATIONS have neither bodies to be punished nor souls to be
damned.
To the PURE all things are pure