Of all the failed technologies that litter the onward march of science - steam carriages zeppelins armoured trains - none has been so catastrophic to prosperity as the last century's attempt to generate electricity from nuclear fission.

Haven't two hundred years of failed missionary work overseas taught anybody anything? You can't convert people to anything - whether religion or something as inane as our flicks.

There's nothing worse than walking around and talking about your failed relationship all day every day for months on end.

One thing I have frankly decided is that when it comes to political reform we have two conservative parties in British politics. Both the Labour and Conservative parties have constantly and repeatedly failed to honour promises they have made about reforming cleaning modernising our clapped-out system.

Consul - in American politics a person who having failed to secure an office from the people is given one by the Administration on condition that he leave the country.

So I really began as a failed poet - although when I first wanted to be a writer I learned to write prose by reading poetry.

War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed.

And so at the age of thirty I had successively disgraced myself with three fine institutions each of which had made me free of its full and rich resources had trained me with skill and patience and had shown me nothing but forbearance and charity when I failed in trust.

Man masters nature not by force but by understanding. This is why science has succeeded where magic failed: because it has looked for no spell to cast over nature.

The first two movies I directed failed when I was 21 and 23 and that was the greatest thing that could have happened.

I have asked myself once or twice lately what was my natural bent. I have no doubt at all: It is to look at each day for the evil of that day and have a go at it and that is why I have never failed to have an acute interest in each morning's letters.

I went to dance classes from 9 in the morning until 1 then to school from 3 to 10 at night always under the threat that if I failed a single course I could forget about dancing.

I love marriage. I failed at marriage but I'd rather go into anything with gusto and fail than go into it half-assed.

There is no loneliness like that of a failed marriage.

I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.

I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

We need leadership. We don't need a doubling down on the failed politics of the past.