It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.

-Anonymous
  Statement issued by the US army, referring to Ben Tre in Vietnam. In the NewYork Times, 8 Feb.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: Iamnotcometo destroy, buttofulfil.For verily I say unto you,Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

-Bible (NewTestament)
St Matthew 5:17^18.

To create is first of all to destroy†there is and can be no such thing as authentic art until the bons trucs (whereby we are taught to see and imitate on canvas and in stone and by words this so-called world) are entirely and

-cummings, e e pen name of  Edward Estlin Cummings

It would be a bitter cosmic joke if we destroy ourselves due to atrophy of the imagination.

-Gellhorn, Martha Ellis
  The Face of War, introduction.

   Totakeanalmost religiousview, thisearthisnothing very special.There have probably been millions of earths just like ours each producing a particular intelligent species. That isnottosay thattheyall developed well, thattheyall achieved some sort of perfection. And if the planner made lots of them and some of them chose to destroy themselves,thenwe canonlysupposethattheplanner is a hard and practical man.

-Hoyle, Sir Fred
  In the Daily Mail.

Enlarge my life with multitude of days, In health, in sickness, thus the suppliant prays; Hides from himself his state, and shuns to know, That life protracted is protracted woe. Time hovers o'er, impatient to destroy, And shuts up all the passages of joy.

-Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson
  The Vanity of Human Wishes, l.255^60.

Destroy his fib, or sophistry; in vain, The creature's at his dirty work again.

-Pope, Alexander
  'An Epistle to DrArbuthnot', l.91^2.

Premie'  re approximation: j'e¤  cris pour de¤  truire, en les de¤  crivant avec pre¤  cision, des monstres nocturnes qui menacent d'envahir ma vie e¤  veille¤  e. First general point: I write to destroy, by describing exactly the nocturnal monsters that threaten to invade my waking life.

-Robbe-Grillet, Alain
  Le Miroir qui revient.