WIST Quotations

Franklin, Benjamin -- Poor Richard (1743 ed.)

Dave — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 04:15:45 +0000

Beware, beware! he’ll cheat ’ithout scruple, who can without fear.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1743 ed.)
(Source)

Not original with Franklin; see Fuller (1725).

Charron, Pierre -- (Attributed)

Dave — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 13:33:29 +0000

The certain way to be cheated is to fancy one’s self more cunning than others.

Pierre Charron (1541-1603) French Catholic theologian and philosopher
(Attributed)

Quoted in John Timbs, Laconics: Or, The Best Words of the Best Authors, vol. 3, #308 (1829)

Beecher, Henry Ward -- (Attributed)

Dave — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 21:44:54 +0000

If you attempt to beat a man down and to get his goods for less than a fair price, you are attempting to commit burglary, as much as though you broke into his shop to take the things without paying for them. There is cheating on both sides of the counter and generally less behind it than before it.

Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) American clergyman and orator
(Attributed)

Quoted in John Bate, A Cyclopaedia Of Illustrations Of Moral And Religious Truths (1865)

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 525 (1725)

Dave — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:02:07 +0000

Take heed: Most Men will cheat without Scruple where they can do it without Fear.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 525 (1725)
(Source)

See Franklin (1743).

Ward, Artemus -- Shakespeare Up-to-Date

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

“Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just” —
And four times he who gets his fist in fust.

Artemus Ward (1834-1867) American humorist, editor, lecturer [pseud. of Charles Farrar Browne]
Shakespeare Up-to-Date

See Shakespeare. Also attributed to Josh Billings in Josh Billings: His Sayings (1865), and sometimes oddly credited to Romans 13:7.