Here's why:
* The OED's focus is on the history of words: The OED documents the history of words, their origins, and their changing meanings. While it includes many quotations to illustrate these aspects, it doesn't compile a list of most quoted authors.
* Vastness of the OED: The OED contains millions of quotations from a vast array of sources and periods. Tracking every single quotation and attributing it to an author would be a monumental and nearly impossible task.
However, some authors are likely to appear frequently due to their influence on the English language and their prolific writing:
* Shakespeare: He's a natural contender given his vast body of work and its enduring influence on language.
* The Bible: The Bible has had a profound impact on English vocabulary and culture, so it's likely to contain many quoted passages.
* Other classical authors: Writers like Chaucer, Milton, and Austen are also likely to be frequently quoted.
Ultimately, without a dedicated analysis of the OED's entire corpus, it's impossible to declare a single "most quoted" author.