custody

Held in the custody of childhood is a locked chest; the adolescent, byonemeans oranother, triestoopenit. the chest is opened: inside, there is nothing.

—Mishima,Yukio pseudonym of  Hiraoka Kimitake

I should like to see the custom introduced of readers who are pleased with a book sending the author some small cash token† Not more than a hundred poundsöthat would be bad for my characterönot less than half a crownöthat would do no good to yours.

—Connolly, Cyril Vernon

The fact is, that there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office of respirationöa troublesome practice, but one which custom has rendered necessary to our easy existence; and for some time he lay gasping on a little flock mattress, rather unequally poised between this world and the next: the balance being decidedly in favour of the latter. Now, if during this brief period,Oliver had been surrounded by careful grandmothers, anxious aunts, experienced nurses, and doctors of profound wisdom, he would most inevitably and indubitably have been killed in no time.

—Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

Custom is the most certain mistress of language, as the public stamp makes the current money.

—Jonson, Ben

   Custom reconciles us to everything.

—Burke, Edmund

Custom that is before all law, Nature that is above all art.

—Daniel, Samuel

Often, the less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it.

—Twain, Mark pseudonym of  Samuel Langhorne Clemens

The old order changeth, yielding place to new, And God fulfils himself in many ways, Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.

—Tennyson

A British officer to be called Resident who shall be accredited to his Court and whoseadvice must be asked and acted upon on all questions other than those touching Malay religion and custom.

—Pangkor,Treaty of

Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel: they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, preciselyas men would suffer†it is thoughtless to condem them, or laugh at them, if they seek to domorethancustomhas pronounced necessary for their sex.

—Bronte«  , Charlotte

Ma¤  s que una costumbre, parece como un conjuro para una divinidad que todos desconocemos, que al reunirse varios cubanos†se permanece en un silencio de suspensio¤  n, hasta que se oye una voz cualquiera que dice o canta algo, que no tiene relacio¤  n con la convocatoria para la reunio¤ n .

—Lezama Lima,Jose¤

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

—Bible (NewTestament)

To me the'female principle' is, or at least historically has been, basically anarchic. It values order without constraint, rule by custom not by force. It has been the male who enforces order, who constructs power Lehmann-Haupt structures, who makes, enforces, and breaks laws.

—Le Guin, Ursula ne¤  e Kroeber

   Retired to their tea and scandal, according to their ancient custom.

—Congreve,William

   I hope in time 'twill grow into a custom That noblemen shall come with cap and knee To purchase a night's lodging of their wives. 895

—Webster,John