WIST Quotations

Martin, Judith -- “Miss Manners,” syndicated column (1981-03-08)

Dave — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 17:41:10 +0000

Q: Should you tell your mother something if it is important when she is talking to company? I am 6.

A: Yes, you should (after saying “Excuse me”). Here are some of the things that are important to tell your mother, even though she is talking to company:
“Mommy, the kitchen is full of smoke.”
“Daddy’s calling from Tokyo.”
“Jennifer fell out of her crib and I can’t put her back.”
“There’s a policeman at the door and he says he wants to talk to you.”
“I was just reaching for my ball, and the goldfish bowl fell over.”

Now, here are some things that are not important, so they can wait until your mother’s company has gone home:
“Mommy, I’m tired of playing blocks. What shall I do now?”
“The ice-cream truck is coming down the street.”
“Can I give Jennifer the rest of my applesauce?”
“I can’t find my crayons.”

Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
“Miss Manners,” syndicated column (1981-03-08)
(Source)

A slightly different version was given in Miss Manners’ Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior, Part 3 "Basic Civilization," "Concerning Children" (1983):

DEAR MISS MANNERS:
Should you tell your mother something if it is important when she is talking to company? I am six.

GENTLE READER:
Yes, you should (after saying "Excuse me"). Here are some of the things that are important to tell your mother, even though she is talking to company:
"Mommy, the kitchen is full of smoke."
"Daddy's calling from Tokyo."
"Kristen fell out of her crib and I can't put her back."
"There's a policeman at the door and he says he wants to talk to you."
"I was just reaching for my ball, and the goldfish bowl fell over."

Now, here are some things that are not important, so they can wait until your mother's company has gone home:
"Mommy, I'm tired of playing blocks. What do I do now?"
"The ice-cream truck is coming down the street."
"Can I give Kristen the rest of my applesauce?"
"I can't find my crayons."
"When are we going to have lunch? I'm hungry.”

Lincoln, Abraham -- Speech (1864-11-10), “Response to a Serenade,” Washington, D. C.

Dave — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 18:05:36 +0000

It has long been a grave question whether any government, not too strong for the liberties of its people, can be strong enough to maintain its own existence, in great emergencies. […]
We can not have free government without elections; and if the rebellion could force us to forego, or postpone a national election, it might fairly claim to have already conquered and ruined us.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) American lawyer, politician, US President (1861-65)
Speech (1864-11-10), “Response to a Serenade,” Washington, D. C.
(Source)

Speech given from a White House window to a group of Pennsylvanians celebrating his re-election.

Joubert, Joseph -- Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 16 “Des Mœurs publiques et privées; du Caractère des Nations [On Morality and the Character of Nations],” ¶ 57 (1850 ed.) [tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 15, ¶ 26]

Dave — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 20:45:35 +0000

It seems as though nations love perils, and when they have none, they create them.

[Il semble que les peuples aiment les périls, et que lorsqu’ils en manquent, ils s’en créent.]

Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French moralist, philosopher, essayist, poet
Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 16 “Des Mœurs publiques et privées; du Caractère des Nations [On Morality and the Character of Nations],” ¶ 57 (1850 ed.) [tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 15, ¶ 26]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translation:

It seems to me that nations love dangers, and when there are none to be found create them to fill the want.
[tr. Collins (1928), ch. 15]

Smith, Sydney -- Lecture (1804-1806), Moral Philosophy, No. 27 “On Habit, Part 2” Royal Institution, London

Dave — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 20:39:53 +0000

There are seasons in human affairs, when qualities fit enough to conduct the common business of life, are feeble and useless; and when men must trust to emotion, for that safety which reason at such times can never give.

Sydney Smith (1771-1845) English clergyman, essayist, wit
Lecture (1804-1806), Moral Philosophy, No. 27 “On Habit, Part 2” Royal Institution, London
(Source)

Collected in Elementary Sketches of Moral Philosophy (1849).

Quoted by Theodore Roosevelt in his speech (1901-09-05), "Brotherhood and the Heroic Virtues," Grand Army of the Republic Veterans Reunion, Burlington, Vermont, collected in Roosevelt's The Strenuous Life (1902).

Cox, Marcelene -- “Ask Any Woman” column, Ladies’ Home Journal (1955-06)

Dave — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 15:55:55 +0000

No man knows his true character until he has run out of gas, purchased something on the installment plan, and raised an adolescent.

Marcelene Cox (1900-1998) American writer, columnist, aphorist
“Ask Any Woman” column, Ladies’ Home Journal (1955-06)
(Source)

Snyder, Timothy -- On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century (2017)

Dave — Wed, 05 May 2021 16:18:07 +0000

Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. Modern tyranny is terror management. When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power. The sudden disaster that requires the end of checks and balances, the dissolution of political parties, the suspension of freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and so on, is the oldest trick in the Hitlerian book. DO NOT FALL FOR IT.

Timothy Snyder (b. 1969) American historian, author
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century (2017)
(Source)

Garfield, James A. -- Diary (1876)

Dave — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 17:24:43 +0000

Nobody but radicals have ever accomplished anything in a great crisis. Conservatives have their place in the piping times of peace; but in emergencies only rugged issue men amount to much.

James A. Garfield (1831-1881) US President (1881), lawyer, lay preacher, educator
Diary (1876)
(Source)

Lowell, James Russell -- “Abraham Lincoln,” The North American Review (Jan 1864)

Dave — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 01:44:32 +0000

It is by presence of mind in untried emergencies that the native metal of a man is tested.

James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) American diplomat, essayist, poet
“Abraham Lincoln,” The North American Review (Jan 1864)
(Source)

Stross, Charles -- The Atrocity Archives (2004)

Dave — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 01:20:45 +0000

In the Laundry we supposedly pride ourselves on our procedures. We’ve got procedures for breaking and entering offices, procedures for reporting a shortage of paper clips, procedures for summoning demons from the vasty deeps, and procedures for writing procedures. We may actually be on track to be the world’s first ISO-9000 total-quality-certified intelligence agency. According to our written procedure for dealing with procedural cluster-fucks on foreign assignment, what I should do at this point is fill out Form 1008.7, then drive like a bat out of hell over Highway 17 until it hits the Interstate, then take the turnoff for San Francisco Airport and use my company credit card to buy the first available seat home. Not forgetting to file Form 1018.9 (“expenses unexpectedly incurred in responding to a situation 1008.7 in the line of duty”) in time for the end of month accounting cycle.

Charles "Charlie" Stross (b. 1964) British writer
The Atrocity Archives (2004)

Heinlein, Robert A. -- Friday [Friday Jones] (1982)

Dave — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 14:23:19 +0000

How many people have died because they could not abandon their baggage?

Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) American writer
Friday [Friday Jones] (1982)

Pratchett, Terry -- Good Omens, 4. “Thursday” (1990) [with Neil Gaiman]

Dave — Thu, 15 May 2014 12:14:27 +0000

Three very crowded hours went past. They involved quite a lot of phone calls, telexes, and faxes. Twenty-seven people were got out of bed in quick succession and they got another fifty-three out of bed, because if there is one thing a man wants to know when he’s woken up in a panic at 4:00 A.M., it’s that he’s not alone.

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) English author
Good Omens, 4. “Thursday” (1990) [with Neil Gaiman]
(Source)

Jefferson, Thomas -- Letter (1810-09-20) to John B. Colvin

Dave — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:30:56 +0000

It is incumbent on those only who accept of great charges, to risk themselves on great occasions, when the safety of the nation, or some of it’s very high interests are at stake. An officer is bound to obey orders: yet he would be a bad one who should do it in cases for which they were not intended, and which involved the most important consequences. The line of discrimination between cases may be difficult; but the good officer is bound to draw it at his own peril, & throw himself on the justice of his country and the rectitude of his motives.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) American political philosopher, polymath, statesman, US President (1801-09)
Letter (1810-09-20) to John B. Colvin
(Source)

Trotsky, Leon -- Diary in Exile, 1935-04-05 (1958)

Dave — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:24:57 +0000

The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves.

Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) Russian politician, Marxist, intellectual, revolutionary [b. Lev Davidovich Bronstein]
Diary in Exile, 1935-04-05 (1958)
(Source)

Kerr, Jean -- Essay (1957), “Introduction,” Please Don’t Eat the Daisies

Dave — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:04:15 +0000

If you can keep your head when about you are losing theirs, it’s just possible you haven’t grasped the situation.

Jean Kerr (1922-2003) American author and playwright [b. Bridget Jean Collins]
Essay (1957), “Introduction,” Please Don’t Eat the Daisies
(Source)

See Kipling, "If --".

Pitt, William the Younger -- Speech (1793-11-18), House of Commons, London

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

It is true, the bill is said to be founded on necessity; but what is this? Is it not necessity, which has always been the plea of every illegal exertion of power, or exercise of oppression? Is not necessity the pretence of every usurpation? Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.

William Pitt (1759-1806) British Prime Minister (1804-06) [William Pitt the Younger]
Speech (1793-11-18), House of Commons, London
(Source)

Speech on a bill changing the process of governing India. Cf. Milton.