Cryptic crossword: blended dawn hue

Question

This is a cryptic crossword. Solvers, to obtain the green tick, must solve the crossword, explain the clues, locate the first seven words of a quotation in the grid, and write the full quotation out as part of their answer, along with the author of the quotation. All answers may be found in Chambers Dictionary, amongst others, and some answers are perhaps a little more obscure than others. The clues are hopefully a little easier for those answers seeming obscure; clues are otherwise normal.

Across

8. Praises record that is held by headless god (8)
9. Reinforce muscle casually on horseback (4,2)
10. Add brandy to coffee for starters letting alcoholism come easily (4)
11. Leo, he avers, arranged permit to disembark for land (5,5)
12. Elizabeth Tower's 'lodger'? Mr Affleck is surely not beneath notice (3,3)
14. At home poet kind of gets time for second upside-down converter (8)
15. Childhood pain fan cynically embraces (7)
17. Magnificent Pascal (he's a relative) (7)
20. Bluetits fluttering about words written at foot of screen (8)
22. Hot sysop distributed priest's water sprinkler (6)
23. Nickel temperature constant: cold ruler's petty criticism (3-7)
24. Maleficence let veil lift evenly, denying force (4)
25. Memory trace space anagram lacking an 'A' (6)
26. A bishop in Information Technology starts to invoke, ostensibly from the beginning (2,6)

Down

1. Nodding new mutation shedding mass (8)
2. Slimy mud flowing back from Whipsnade zoo (4)
3. Obsign reimagined by cyberpunk author (6)
4. Bone mass -- bone is subject to diffusion through semipermeable membrane (7)
5. Onlooker one starting tennis match follows out of bounds (8)
6. Perhaps nuclear weapons put off tears (10)
7. UI vote confused but beat a rival (6)
13. Launch -- very loud, becoming quiet -- alternative drug for embryonic orifice (10)
16. About Mexican snack leaders might buy from burial ground... (8)
18. ...oddly pork (ok, hair) built to prevent it (8)
19. Capelin regurgitated by tropical waterfowl (7)
21. Unicorns ignoring king describing marriages (6)
22. Aesculapius's daughter beheaded shy geisha removing special headdress first (6)
24. Velocipede holds back -- that's impressive (4)

Answer 1

I think I have a full answer. If some one with better site skills could furnish a grid, I'd be grateful.

Across
8. EULOGIES = (-Z/D)EU(LOG+I.E.)S
9. BEEF UP
10. LACE = L_ A_ C_ E_
11. SHORE LEAVE*
12. BIG BEN
14. INVERTER = s/S/T/ INVERSER
15. INFANCY (hidden word)
17. GRANDPA = grand + Pa
20. SUBTITLE*
22. HYSSOP = H + SYSOP*
23. NITPICKING = Ni + t + pi + C + king
24. EVIL = .E.V.I.L.F. -F
25. ENGRAM = EN + (-AN A)GRAM
26. AB INITIO = A+B+IN+I.T.+I_ O_

Down
1. NUTATION = N+(-M)UTATION
2. OOZE reverse hidden word
3. GIBSON*
4. OSMOSIS = OS + M + OS +IS
5. OBSERVER = O.B. + SERVER
6. DETERRENTS = DETER + RENTS
7. OUTVIE*
13. BLASTOPORE = BLAST + O + P + OR + E
16. CATACOMB = CA + TACO + M_ B_
18. PROHIBIT = P.R.O.H.I.B.I.T
19. PELICAN*
21. UNIONS = UNCORNS - CR
22. HYGEIA = (-S)HY GEI(-SH)A
24. EPIC reverse hidden word

The hidden quote being

NO GOOD OPERA PLOT CAN BE SENSIBLE (... for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible - W. H. AUDEN) around the perimeter and noting that the title is and anagram of the man himself.