WIST Quotations

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 1, ch. 9 (1.9), “Of Liars [Des Menteurs]” (1572) [tr. HyperEssays (2025)]

Dave — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 23:01:11 +0000

It makes sense to say that those without a solid memory should not get in the habit of telling lies.

[Ce n’est pas sans raison qu’on dict, que qui ne se sent point assez ferme de memoire, ne se doit pas mesler d’estre menteur.]

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 1, ch. 9 (1.9), “Of Liars [Des Menteurs]” (1572) [tr. HyperEssays (2025)]
(Source)

This essay and passage were present in the 1st (1580) edition.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

It is not without reason, men say, that hee who hath not a good and ready memorie, shoulde never meddle with telling of lies, and feare to become a liar.
[tr. Florio (1603)]

It is not without reason said, that he who has not a good memory, should never offer to tell lies.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

It is not without good reason said "that he who has not a good memory should never take upon him the trade of lying.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

Not without reason is it said that he who does not know himself to be of sane memory should not meddle with lying.
[tr. Ives (1925)]

It is not unreasonably said that anyone who does not feel sufficiently strong in memory should not meddle with lying.
[tr. Frame (1943)]

Not without reason is it said that no one who is not conscious of having a sound memory should set up to be a liar.
[tr. Cohen (1958)]

It is not for nothing that it is said that he who does not feel his memory to be strong enough has no business lying.
[tr. Screech (1987)]

Note that Montaigne frames this as a common saying, and one translator attributes it to Quintilian, Instituio Oratoria, Book 4, 2.92, though that source notes it as already being proverbial (English, Latin):

And there is no doubt about the truth of the proverb that a liar should have a good memory.

[Verumque est illud, quod vulgo dicitur, mendacem memorem esse oportere.]

Brust, Steven -- Issola (2001)

Dave — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 23:24:08 +0000

“Simple things are never problems,” I told her. “Unfortunate, maybe, but if it isn’t complicated, it isn’t really a problem.”

The Goddess nodded. “Very good, Vlad; I didn’t expect such wisdom from you.”

I grunted and didn’t tell her I was quoting my grandfather; I’d rather she stayed impressed.

Steven Brust (b. 1955) American writer, systems programmer
Issola (2001)

Scalzi, John -- Zoe’s Tale, ch. 7 (2008)

Dave — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 09:10:53 +0000

Sometimes I don’t know if my life is complicated, or if it’s that I just think too much about things.

John Scalzi (b. 1969) American writer
Zoe’s Tale, ch. 7 (2008)

Johnson, Samuel -- The Rambler, #14 (5 May 1750)

Dave — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:24:34 +0000

A transition from an author’s book to his conversation, is too often like an entrance into a large city, after a distant prospect. Remotely, we see nothing but spires of temples and turrets of palaces, and imagine it the residence of splendour, grandeur and magnificence; but when we have passed the gates, we find it perplexed with narrow passages, disgraced with despicable cottages, embarrassed with obstructions, and clouded with smoke.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
The Rambler, #14 (5 May 1750)
(Source)

Munro, H. H. -- “Clovis on the Alleged Romance of Business,” The Square Egg (1924)

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

A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation.

H. H. Munro (1870-1916) Scottish writer [Hector Hugh Munro; pseud. Saki]
“Clovis on the Alleged Romance of Business,” The Square Egg (1924)