WIST Quotations

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 3, ch. 5 (3.5), “Of Some Verses of Virgil [Sur des vers de Virgile]” (1586) [tr. Ives (1925)]

Dave — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 22:18:33 +0000

A good marriage, if there are such, rejects the company and conditions of love; it strives to show forth those of friendship. It is a calm fellowship of life, full of fidelity, of trust, and of an endless number of useful and substantial mutual duties and obligations.

[Un bon mariage, s’il en est, refuse la compagnie & conditions de l’amour : il tasche à representer celles de l’amitié. C’est une douce societé de vie, pleine de constance, de fiance, & d’un nombre infiny d’utiles & solides offices, & obligations mutuelles.]

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 3, ch. 5 (3.5), “Of Some Verses of Virgil [Sur des vers de Virgile]” (1586) [tr. Ives (1925)]
(Source)

This essay (and passage) first appeared in the 2nd (1588) edition.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

A good marriage (if any there be) refuseth the company and conditions of love; it endevoureth to present those of amity. It is a sweete society of life, full of constancie, of trust, and an infinite number of profitable and solid offices, and mutuall obligations.
[tr. Florio (1603)]

A good Marriage, if it be really so, rejects the Company and Conditions of Love and tries to represent those of Friendship. 'Tis a sweet Society of Life, full of Constancy, Trust, and an infinite Number of useful and solid Offices and mutual Obligations.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

A good marriage, if there be any such, rejects the company and conditions of love, and tries to represent those of friendship. ’Tis a sweet society of life, full of constancy, trust, and an infinite number of useful and solid services and mutual obligations.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

A good marriage, if there is such a thing, rejects the company and conditions of love. It tries to imitate those of friendship. It is a sweet bond of life, full of constancy, of trust, and of an infinite nuimber of useful and substantial services and mutual obligations.
[tr. Zeitlin (1934)]

A good marriage, if such there be, rejects the company and conditions of love. It tries to reproduce those of friendship. It is a sweet association in life, full of constancy, trust, and an infinite number of useful and solid services and mutual obligations.
[tr. Frame (1943)]

A good marriage (if there be such a thing) rejects the company and conditions of Cupid: it strives to reproduce those of loving-friendship. It is a pleasant fellowship for life, full of constancy, trust and an infinity of solid useful services and mutual duties.
[tr. Screech (1987)]

Dana, Richard Henry -- Two Years Before the Mast, ch. 3 “Ships Duties — Tropics” (1840)

Dave — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 05:38:19 +0000

Six days shalt thou labor and do all thou art able, And on the seventh — holystone the decks and scrape the cable.

Richard Henry Dana, Jr. (1815-1882) American lawyer, politician, sailor, writer
Two Years Before the Mast, ch. 3 “Ships Duties — Tropics” (1840)
(Source)

Dana refers to this rubric about the endless labor aboard a sailing ship as the "Philadelphia Catechism."

Smith, Sydney -- Sermon (1809 pub.), “On the Judgments We Form of Others”

Dave — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:46:12 +0000

Manners are the shadows of virtues; the momentary display of those qualities which our fellow creatures love, and respect. — If, we strive to become, then, what we strive to appear, manners may often be rendered useful guides to the performance of our duties.

Sydney Smith (1771-1845) English clergyman, essayist, wit
Sermon (1809 pub.), “On the Judgments We Form of Others”
(Source)

Sermon on Leviticus 19:15.

Brooks, Phillips -- “Going Up to Jerusalem,” Selected Sermons [ed. William Scarlett (1949)]

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

O, do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.

Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) American clergyman, hymnist
“Going Up to Jerusalem,” Selected Sermons [ed. William Scarlett (1949)]