Death comes along like a gas bill one can't payöand that's all one can sayabout it.

-Wilson
  Interview in Playboy.

This monstrous mixture of imbecility, extravagance and political hysteria, better known as the Bill for the future government of Irelandöthis farrago of superlative nonsense, is to be put in motion for this reason and no other: to gratify the ambition of an old man in a hurry.

-Churchill, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer
  Pamphlet attacking Gladstone's Home Rule Bill,  Jun.

Alas, alas, who's injured by my love? What merchant's ships have my sighs drowned? Who says my tears have overflowed his ground? When did my colds a forward spring remove? When did the heats which my veins fill Add one more to the plaguey bill? Soldiers find wars, and lawyers find out still Litigious men, which quarrels move, Though she and I do love.

-Donne,John
c.1595^1605  'The Canonization', collected in Songs and Sonnets (1633).

From his childhood onward this boy will be surrounded by sycophants and flatterers by the score, and will be taught to believe himself as of a superior creation. A line will be drawn between him and the people whom he is to be called upon some day to reign over. In due course, following the precedent which has already been set, he will be sent on a tour round the world, and probably rumours of a morganatic alliancewill follow, and the end of it all will bethattheCountry will be calledupontopay the bill.

-Hardie, (James) Keir
  Speech in the House of Commons, 28  Jun, opposing an Address of Congratulation to the Queen being passed in the House of Commons, on the birth of a son (the future Edward VIII) to the Duke and Duchess ofYork.

A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse or rest on inference.

-Jefferson,Thomas
  Letter to  James Madison, 20 Dec.

   A Bill of Rites, A Bill of Wrongs, A Bill of Goods.

-Morris,Wright Marion
   Title of essay collection.

We said to the Chinese,'You have behaved very ill; we have had to teach you better manners; it has cost us something to do it, but we will send our bill in, and you must pay our charges.' That was done, and they have certainly profited by the lesson. They have become free traders too.

-Palmerston, HenryJohnTemple, 3rd Viscount
  On the OpiumWars of1839^42. Election speech at Tiverton, Devon.

Applause is a receipt, not a bill.

-Schnabel, Artur
Explaining why he did not play encores. Quoted in I KolodinThe Musical Life (1958).

He showed me his bill of fare to tempt me to dine with him; poh, said I, I value not your bill of fare, give me your bill of company.

-Swift,Jonathan
Journal to Stella, 2 Sep.