WIST Quotations

L'Engle, Madeleine -- Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Dave — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:17:31 +0000

Perhaps people who read and write and have enough vocabulary to think with are universe disturbers. But we need to disturb the universe if, as human beings on planet earth, we are to survive. We need to have the vocabulary to question ourselves, and enough courage to disturb creatively, rather than destructively, even if it is going to make us uncomfortable or even hurt.

Madeleine L'Engle (1918–2007) American writer
Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

L'Engle, Madeleine -- Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Dave — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:36:07 +0000

When I find myself hotly defending something, when I am, in fact, zealous, it is time for me to step back and examine whatever it is that has me so hot under the collar. Do I think it’s going to threaten my comfortable rut? Make me change and grow? — and growing always causes growing pains. Am I afraid to ask questions?

Madeleine L'Engle (1918–2007) American writer
Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Bible, Vol. 1. Old Testament -- Book 20. Proverbs 25:21ff (Prov 25:21-22) [tr. CEB (2011)]

Dave — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:27:47 +0000

If your enemies are starving, feed them some bread;
if they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
By doing this, you will heap burning coals on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.

אִם־רָעֵ֣ב שֹׂ֭נַאֲךָ הַאֲכִלֵ֣הוּ לָ֑חֶם וְאִם־צָ֝מֵ֗א הַשְׁקֵ֥הוּ מָֽיִם׃
כִּ֤י גֶחָלִ֗ים אַ֭תָּה חֹתֶ֣ה עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה יְשַׁלֶּם־לָֽךְ׃

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 20. Proverbs 25:21ff (Prov 25:21-22) [tr. CEB (2011)]

See Romans 12:19-21.

(Source (Hebrew)). Other translations:

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head,
and the Lord shall reward thee.
[KJV (1611)]

If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if thirsty, something to drink.
By this you heap red-hot coals on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.
[JB (1966)]

If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if thirsty, something to drink.
By this you will be heaping red-hot coals on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.
[NJB (1985)]

If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink. 22 You will make them burn with shame, and the Lord will reward you.
[GNT (1992 ed.)]

If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat,
and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink,
for you will heap coals of fire on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.
[NRSV (2021 ed.)]

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
You will be heaping live coals on his head,
And God will reward you.
[RJPS (2023 ed.)]

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1871-06 (1871 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:09:21 +0000

Whenever a minister haz preached a sermon that pleazes the whole congregashun, he probably haz preached one that the Lord wont endorse.

[Whenever a minister has preached a sermon that pleases the whole congregation, he probably haz preached one that the Lord won’t endorse.]

Josh Billings (1818–1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1871-06 (1871 ed.)

Shelley, Mary Wallstonecraft -- Frankenstein, Vol. 3, ch. 6 (1818)

Dave — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 06:18:16 +0000

Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797–1851) English novelist
Frankenstein, Vol. 3, ch. 6 (1818)

Greenwood, Kerry -- Phryne Fisher, Book 10, Death Before Wicket, ch. 7 (1999)

Dave — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:38:23 +0000

Phryne had never liked pain. It hurt.

Kerry Greenwood (b. 1954) Australian author and lawyer
Phryne Fisher, Book 10, Death Before Wicket, ch. 7 (1999)

Bolt, Robert -- Lawrence of Arabia, Part 1, sc. 18 (1962) [with Michael Wilson]

Dave — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 22:14:43 +0000

CORPORAL: [trying to copy Lawrence’s snuffing a match with his fingers] Ow! It damn well ‘urts!

LAWRENCE: Certainly it hurts.

CORPORAL: Well what’s the trick then?

LAWRENCE: The trick, William Potter, is not minding if it hurts.

Robert Bolt (1924–1995) English dramatist
Lawrence of Arabia, Part 1, sc. 18 (1962) [with Michael Wilson]

(Source (Video)). In the actual film, the last line is given, "not minding that it hurts."

Billings, Josh -- Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 132 “Affurisms: Chips” (1874)

Dave — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 17:05:31 +0000

About one-half the discumfert ov this life iz the result ov gitting tired ov ourselfs.

[About one-half the discomfort of this life is the result of getting tired of ourselves.]

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. 132 “Affurisms: Chips” (1874)

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Essay (1841), “Circles,” Essays: First Series, No. 10

Dave — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:05:25 +0000

People wish to be settled; only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them. Life is a series of surprises.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Essay (1841), “Circles,” Essays: First Series, No. 10

Agar, Herbert -- A Time for Greatness, ch. 7 (1942)

Dave — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 04:00:36 +0000

The truth which makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear.

Herbert Agar (1897–1980) American journalist and historian
A Time for Greatness, ch. 7 (1942)

Cf. John 8:32.

Richardson, James -- Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, #340 (2001)

Dave — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 13:08:30 +0000

What you fear to believe, your children will believe.

James Richardson (b. 1950) American poet
Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, #340 (2001)

Joubert, Joseph -- Pensées [Thoughts], 1806 entry [tr. Auster (1983)]

Dave — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 13:15:56 +0000

I don’t like to write anything down on paper that I would not say to myself.

Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French moralist, philosopher, essayist, poet
Pensées [Thoughts], 1806 entry [tr. Auster (1983)]

I could not find an analog in other translations of the Pensées.

Hazlitt, William -- Essay (1829-10), “American Literature — Dr. Channing,” Edinburgh Review, Vol. 50, No. 99, Art. 7

Dave — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:02:35 +0000

The least pain in our little finger gives more concern and uneasiness than the destruction of millions of our fellow beings.

William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English writer
Essay (1829-10), “American Literature — Dr. Channing,” Edinburgh Review, Vol. 50, No. 99, Art. 7

Wodehouse, P. G. -- Ukridge (1924)

Dave — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:37:19 +0000

Whenever I meet Ukridge’s Aunt Julia I have the same curious illusion of having just committed some particularly unsavoury crime and — what is more — of having done it with swollen hands, enlarged feet, and trousers bagging at the knee on a morning when I had omitted to shave.

P. G. Wodehouse (1881–1975) Anglo-American humorist, playwright and lyricist [Pelham Grenville Wodehouse]
Ukridge (1924)

Smith, Sydney -- Letter (1842-09-13) to Lady Holland

Dave — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:00:58 +0000

It is a bore, I admit, to be past seventy, for you are left for execution, and are daily expecting the death-warrant; but, as you say, it is not anything very capital we quit. We are, at the close of life, only hurried away from stomach-aches, pains in the joints, from sleepless nights and unamusing days, from weakness, ugliness, and nervous tremors; but we shall all meet again in another planet, cured of all our defects.

Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English clergyman, essayist, wit
Letter (1842-09-13) to Lady Holland