WIST Quotations

Hoffer, Eric -- Reflections on the Human Condition, Aphorism 7 (1973)

Dave — Sun, 05 May 2019 22:16:42 +0000

Animals often strike us as passionate machines.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Reflections on the Human Condition, Aphorism 7 (1973)

Otway, Thomas -- Venice Preserv’d, Act 1, sc. 1 (1682)

Dave — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 01:03:33 +0000

O woman! lovely woman! Nature made thee
To temper man: we had been brutes without you.
Angels are painted fair, to look like you:
There’s in you all that we believe of heaven, —
Amazing brightness, purity, and truth,
Eternal joy, and everlasting love.

Thomas Otway (1652-1685) English dramatist
Venice Preserv’d, Act 1, sc. 1 (1682)
(Source)

Chesterfield (Lord) -- Letter to his son, #128 (9 Oct 1747)

Dave — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 16:35:18 +0000

As I have often told you, politeness and good beeding are absolutely necessary to adorn any, or all other good qualities or talents. Without them, no knowledge, no perfection whatever, is seen in its best light. The scholar, without good breeding, is a pedant; the philosopher, a cynic; the soldier, a brute; and every man disagreeable.

Lord Chesterfield (1694-1773) English statesman, wit [Philip Dormer Stanhope]
Letter to his son, #128 (9 Oct 1747)
(Source)

Young, Edward -- Poem (1744-07), “Night the 7th: The Infidel Reclaimed,” l. 496, The Complaint: Or, Night Thoughts, Vol. 2 (1748)

Dave — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 17:32:26 +0000

The man that blushes is not quite a brute.

Edward Young (1683-1765) English poet
Poem (1744-07), “Night the 7th: The Infidel Reclaimed,” l. 496, The Complaint: Or, Night Thoughts, Vol. 2 (1748)
(Source)

Aristotle -- Politics [Πολιτικά], Book 1, ch. 2, sec. 14 / 1253a.27 [tr. Jowett (1885)]

Dave — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:36:55 +0000

But he who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god: he is no part of a state.

[εἰ γὰρ μὴ αὐτάρκης ἕκαστος χωρισθείς, ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις μέρεσιν ἕξει πρὸς τὸ ὅλον, ὁ δὲ μὴ δυνάμενος κοινωνεῖν ἢ μηθὲν δεόμενος δι᾿ αὐτάρκειαν οὐθὲν μέρος πόλεως, ὥστε ἢ θηρίον ἢ θεός.]

Aristotle (384-322 BC) Greek philosopher
Politics [Πολιτικά], Book 1, ch. 2, sec. 14 / 1253a.27 [tr. Jowett (1885)]
(Source)

Original Greek. Alternate translations:

"But the man who has not the capability of association, or requires nothing from outside through his own complete resources, is no part of a state; so that he must be either a brute (below the level of man), or a God (above it)." [tr. Bolland (1877)]
"He that is incapable of society, or so complete in himself as not to want it, makes no part of a city, as a beast or a god." [tr. Ellis (1912)]
"A man who is incapable of entering into partnership, or who is so self-sufficing that he has no need to do so, is no part of a state, so that he must be either a lower animal or a god." [tr. Rackham (1932)]
"One who is incapable of participating or who is in need of nothing through being self-sufficient is no part of a city, and so is either a beast or a god." [tr. Lord (1984)]
"Anyone who cannot live in a community with others, or who does not need to because of his self-sufficiency, is no part of a city, so that he is either a wild beast or a god." [tr. Reeve (2007)]
"If each person when separated is not sufficient on his own, just as other parts are to the whole while a person who is incapable of joining commonwealth or does not need any part of a state because of self-sufficiency is either a beast or a god." [tr. @sentantiq (2018)]

Lichtenberg, Georg C. -- Aphorisms, Notebook F, #17 (1776-79) [tr. Hollingdale (1990)]

Dave — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:38:43 +0000

A book is a mirror: if an ape looks into it, an apostle is unlikely to look out.

Georg C. Lichtenberg (1742-1799) German physicist, writer
Aphorisms, Notebook F, #17 (1776-79) [tr. Hollingdale (1990)]
(Source)

This is nearly mirrored by Notebook E, # 49 (1775-76), "A book is a mirror: if an ape looks into it an apostle is hardly likely to look out."

Alternate translations:

A book is a mirror: when a monkey looks in, no apostle can look out.
[tr. Mautner and Hatfield (1959)]

A book is a mirror: if an ape looks into it, an apostle is unlikely to look out.
[tr. Tester (2012)]