WIST Quotations

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1871-09 (1871 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:39:06 +0000

It iz one ov the hardest things on earth for a man to learn, — that he plays a third rate game ov whist.

[It is one of the hardest things on earth for a man to learn — that he plays a third-rate game of whist.]

Josh Billings (1818–1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1871-09 (1871 ed.)

Whist was a very popular trick-taking card game in the 18th-19th Centuries.

Chamfort, Nicolas -- Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionnée], Part 2 “Characters and Anecdotes [Caractères et Anecdotes],” ¶ 721 (1795) [tr. Merwin (1969)]

Dave — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:23:26 +0000

Someone said to Donne, the English satirist, “Thunder against the sins, but spare the sinners.” “What,” he said, “damn the cards and pardon the card-sharps?”

[On disait au satirique anglais Donne: « Tonnez sur les vices, mais ménagez les vicieux. – Comment, dit-il, condamner les cartes, et pardonner aux escrocs? »]

Nicolas Chamfort (1741–1794) French writer, epigrammist (b. Nicolas-Sébastien Roch)
Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionnée], Part 2 “Characters and Anecdotes [Caractères et Anecdotes],” ¶ 721 (1795) [tr. Merwin (1969)]

I was unable to find this quotation in Donne's work.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

Someone said to the English satirist Donne: "Thunder against vice, but be considerate with the vicious. "What," he said, "condemn cards and forgive cheats?"
[tr. Pearson (1973)]

Someone said to Donne, the English satirist, “Thunder against the sins, but spare the sinners.” “What,” he said, “damn the cards and pardon the card-sharps?"
[tr. Dusinberre (1992), ¶ 721; quoting Merwin]

Someone said to the English satirist Donne: "Thunder against vices, but spare the people with them." -- "How;" he said, "condemn the cards and pardon the swindlers?"
[tr. Siniscalchi (1994), ¶ 720]

Somebody said to John Donne" "You must condemn the sin but forgive the sinner." "What?" he exclaimed, "Blame the cards and absolve the card-sharpers?!"
[tr. Parmée (2003), ¶ 436]

Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 31 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]

Dave — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 20:28:53 +0000

The greatest skill in cards is to know when to discard; the smallest of current trumps is worth more than the ace of trumps of the last game.

[La mejor treta del juego es saberse descartar: más importa la menor carta del triunfo que corre que la mayor del que pasó.]

Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601–1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 31 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]

(Source (Spanish)). Other translations:

The true skill at play, is to know how to discard. The lowest Card that turns up, is better than the highest of the former dealing.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]

The great trick in cards lies in knowing what to discard: and the deuce of a suit that is trump, is more valuable than the ace of a suit that was.
[tr. Fischer (1937)]

The trick is to know what cards to get rid of. The least card in the winning hand in front of you is more important than the best card in the losing hand you just laid down.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]

Talleyrand -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 14:59:52 +0000

You do not play then at whist, sir! Alas, what a sad old age you are preparing for yourself!

[Vous ne jouez donc pas le whist, monsieur? Hélas! quelle triste vieilesse vous vous préparez!]

Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754–1838) French secularized clergyman, statesman, wit, diplomat
(Attributed)

In Amédée Pichot, Souvenirs Intimes sur M. de Talleyrand, "Le Pour et le Contre" (1870).

Billings, Josh -- Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 141 “Affurisms: Ods an Ens” (1874)

Dave — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:45:42 +0000

As in a game ov cards, so in the game ov life, we must play what is dealt tew us, and the glory consists, not so mutch in winning, as in playing a poor hand well.

[As in a game of cards, so in the game of life, we must play what is dealt to us, and the glory consists, not so much in winning, as in playing a poor hand well.]

Josh Billings (1818–1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 141 “Affurisms: Ods an Ens” (1874)