WIST Quotations

Mencken, H. L. -- “Arcana Coelestia,” A Mencken Chrestomathy (1949)

Dave — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:41:05 +0000

PURITANISM: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
“Arcana Coelestia,” A Mencken Chrestomathy (1949)

Bierce, Ambrose -- “Abstainer,” The Cynic’s Word Book (1906)

Dave — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:41:48 +0000

ABSTAINER, n. A weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure. A Total Abstainer is one who abstains from everything, but abstention, and especially from inactivity in the affairs of others.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Abstainer,” The Cynic’s Word Book (1906)
(Source)

Included in The Devil's Dictionary (1911).

Bagehot, Walter -- Biographical Studies, “Sir George Cornewall Lewis” (1907)

Dave — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:16:00 +0000

It is good to be without vices, but it is not good to be without temptations.

Walter Bagehot (1826-1877) British businessman, essayist, journalist
Biographical Studies, “Sir George Cornewall Lewis” (1907)

Macaulay, Thomas Babington -- History of England, vol. 1, ch. 3 (1849)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

The Puritan hated bear-baiting, not because it gave pain to the bear, but because it gave pleasure to the spectators.

Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859) English writer and politician
History of England, vol. 1, ch. 3 (1849)