Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion,
Instead of Truth they use Equivocation,
And eke it out with mental Reservation,
Which to good Men is an Abomination.Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1736 ed.)
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Quotations about:
evasion
Note not all quotations have been tagged, so Search may find additional quotes on this topic.
The middles cleave to euphemisms not just because they’re an aid in avoiding facts. They like them also because they assist their social yearnings towards pomposity. This is possible because most euphemisms permit the speaker to multiply syllables, and the middle class confuses sheer numerousness with weight and value.
Paul Fussell (1924-2012) American cultural and literary historian, author, academic
Class (1983)
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Fear not those who argue but those who dodge.
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830-1916) Austrian writer
Aphorisms (1905)
As useless laws weaken necessary laws, those that can be evaded weaken legislation.
[Comme les lois inutiles affaiblissent les lois nécessaires, celles qu’on peut éluder affaiblissent la législation.]
Charles-Lewis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) French political philosopher
Spirit of Laws [The Spirit of the Laws; De l’esprit des lois], Book 29, ch. 16 (1748) [tr. Cohler/Miller/Stone (1989)]
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(Source (French)). Other translations:As useless laws debilitate such as are necessary, so those that may be easily eluded weaken the legislation.
[tr. Nugent (1750)]As needless laws weaken necessary laws, laws that can be eluded weaken legislation.
[tr. Stewart (2018)]
Variant: "Useless laws weaken the necessary laws."
The same thought, that "Useless laws weaken necessary laws [Les loix inutiles affaiblissent celles qui sont les necessaires.]" also is recorded in his Pensées Diverses [Assorted Thoughts], # 630 / 1007 "General Maxims of Politics," No. 6 (1720-1755). Variant: "Les loix inutiles affaiblissent les necessaires."
Other translations of that work:Useless laws debilitate such as are necessary.
[ed. Guterman (1963)]Useless laws weaken necessary ones.
[tr. Clark (2012)]
