Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834): French revolutionary and officer in the Continental Army
The play is over. The fifth act has come to an end.
(On British surrender at Yorktown, October 1783)
Fiorello La Guardia (1882-1947): Mayor of New York City
Ticker tape ain't spaghetti.
(Speech to United Nations, 29 March 1946)
Walter Savage Landor (1775-1864): English writer
I detest the American character as much as you do.
( Letter to Robert Southey, 1812)
Ralph Lane (1584-1650): Governor of Virginia Colony
...we have discovered the maine to be the goodliest soile under the cope of heaven, so abounding with sweete trees, that bring such sundry rich and most pleasant gummes, grapes of such greatnes, yet wild, as France, Spaine nor Italy hath no greater.... Besides that, it is the goodliest and most pleasing territorie of the world (for the soile is of an huge and unknowen greatnesse, and very wel peopled and towned, though savagelie) and the climate so wholesome, that we have not had one sicke, since we touched the land here. To conclude, if Virginia had but Horses and Kine in some reasonable proportion, I dare assure my self being inhabited with English, no realme in Christendome were comparable to it.
( Letter to Richard Hakluyt, 3 September 1585)
Sidney Lanier (1842-1881): Poet
Long as thine art shall love true love,
Long as they science truth shall know,
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