WIST Quotations

Twain, Mark -- Novel (1889), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Part 3 “The Tale of the Lost Land,” ch. 18 “In the Queen’s Dungeons”

Dave — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 22:44:54 +0000

We must have a religion — it goes without saying — but my idea is, to have it cut up into forty free sects, so that they will police each other, as had been the case in the United States in my time. Concentration of power in a political machine is bad; and an Established Church is only a political machine; it was invented for that; it is nursed, cradled, preserved for that; it is an enemy to human liberty, and does no good which it could not better do in a split-up and scattered condition.

Mark Twain (1835–1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
Novel (1889), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Part 3 “The Tale of the Lost Land,” ch. 18 “In the Queen’s Dungeons”

Descartes, René -- Discourse on Method [Discours de la méthode], Part 2 (1637) [tr. Veitch (1850)]

Dave — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 22:54:16 +0000

… To divide each of the difficulties under examination into as many parts as possible, and as might be necessary for its adequate solution.

[… De diviser chacune des difficultés que j’examinerais, en autant de parcelles qu’il se pourroit, et qu’il seroit requis pour les mieux résoudre.]

René Descartes (1596–1650) French philosopher, mathematician
Discourse on Method [Discours de la méthode], Part 2 (1637) [tr. Veitch (1850)]

(Source (French)). Other translations:

... To divide every One of these difficulties, which I was to examine into as many parcels as could be, and, as was requisite the better to resolve them.
[Newcombe ed. (1649)]

... To divide up each of the difficulties which I examined into as many parts as possible, and as seemed requisite in order that it might be resolved in the best manner possible.
[tr. Haldane & Ross (1911)]

... To divide each problem I examined into as many parts as was feasible, and as was requisite for its better solution.
[tr. Ascombe & Geach (1971)]

... To divide each of the difficulties I examined into as many parts as possible, and as may be required in order to resolve them better.
[tr. Cottingham, Stoothoff (1985)]

Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it.

Brecht, Bertholt -- “Solidarity song [Solidaritätslied]” (1931) [tr. Willett]

Dave — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:33:06 +0000

All the gang of those who rule us
Hope our quarrels never stop
Helping them to split and fool us
So they can remain on top.

Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956) German poet, playwright, director, dramaturgist
“Solidarity song [Solidaritätslied]” (1931) [tr. Willett]

Jefferson, Thomas -- Letter (1798-06-04) to John Taylor

Dave — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:47:18 +0000

It is the old practice of despots to use a part of the people to keep the rest in order.

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American political philosopher, polymath, statesman, US President (1801–09)
Letter (1798-06-04) to John Taylor