WIST Quotations

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler -- Poem (1879), “Advice,” st. 8, Maurine and Other Poems (1888 ed.)

Dave — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:27:40 +0000

I must live my life, not yours, my friend,
For so it was written down;
We must follow our given paths to the end,
But I trust we shall meet — in town.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) American author, poet, temperance advocate, spiritualist
Poem (1879), “Advice,” st. 8, Maurine and Other Poems (1888 ed.)
(Source)

Lewis, C.S. -- (Spurious)

Dave — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 06:12:32 +0000

When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) English writer, literary scholar, lay theologian [Clive Staples Lewis]
(Spurious)

Popularly attributed to Lewis, but no citation is ever given, and it is not found in searches of his written works.

Van Gogh, Vincent -- Letter to Theo Van Gogh, # 253 (undated)

Dave — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 23:50:22 +0000

Conscience is a man’s compass, and though the needle sometimes deviates, though one often perceives irregularities in directing one’s course after it, still one must try to follow its direction.

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) Dutch painter
Letter to Theo Van Gogh, # 253 (undated)
(Source)

Richardson, James -- Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, #121 (2001)

Dave — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 14:55:49 +0000

The worst part of fear is not knowing what to do. And often you have only to ask What would I do if I were not afraid? to know what to do, and do it, and not be afraid.

James Richardson (b. 1950) American poet
Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, #121 (2001)
(Source)

Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld No. 35, Wintersmith, ch. 1 [Tiffany] (2006)

Dave — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 15:24:45 +0000

“This I choose to do,” she croaked, her breath leaving little clouds in the air. She cleared her throat and started again. “This I choose to do. If there is a price, this I choose to pay. If it is my death, then I choose to die. Where this takes me, there I choose to go. I choose. This I choose to do.”
It wasn’t a spell, except in her own head, but if you couldn’t make spells work in your own head, you couldn’t make them work at all.

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) English author
Discworld No. 35, Wintersmith, ch. 1 [Tiffany] (2006)
(Source)

Yeats, William Butler -- “The Choice” (1933)

Dave — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:47:50 +0000

The intellect of man is forced to choose
Perfection of the life or of the work.

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) Irish poet and dramatist
“The Choice” (1933)
(Source)

Stross, Charles -- The Nightmare Stacks, ch. 9 (2016)

Dave — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 00:33:10 +0000

Somehow he has internalized the ur-cultural narrative: you grow up, go to university, get a job, meet Ms. Right, get married, settle down, have kids, grow old together … it’s like some sort of checklist. Or maybe a list of epic quests you’ve got to complete while level-grinding in a game you’re not allowed to quit, with no respawns and no cheat codes.

Charles "Charlie" Stross (b. 1964) British writer
The Nightmare Stacks, ch. 9 (2016)
(Source)

Murad, Abdal Hakim -- “Contentions 2,” # 7

Dave — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 13:58:34 +0000

The companion before the road, and the road before the destination. But without the destination there is no road, and without the road there is no companion.

Abdal Hakim Murad (b. 1960) British Muslim shaykh, researcher, writer, academic [b. Timothy John Winter]
“Contentions 2,” # 7
(Source)

Von Moltke, Helmuth -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 13:36:56 +0000

You will usually find that the enemy has three courses open to him, and of these he will adopt the fourth.

Helmuth von Moltke (1800-1891) Prussian soldier
(Attributed)

Bacon, Francis -- “Of Great Place,” Essays, No. 11 (1625)

Dave — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:28:00 +0000

All rising to a great place is by a winding stair.

Francis Bacon (1561-1626) English philosopher, scientist, author, statesman
“Of Great Place,” Essays, No. 11 (1625)
(Source)