WIST Quotations

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Trump Kards, ch. 8 “Lager Beer and Spruce Gum” (1874)

Dave — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 20:04:46 +0000

We all ov us beleave that we are the espeshall favourites ov fortune, but fortune don’t beleave enny sutch thing.

[We all of us believe that we are the especial favorites of fortune, but fortune don’t believe any such thing.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Trump Kards, ch. 8 “Lager Beer and Spruce Gum” (1874)
(Source)

McLaughlin, Mignon -- The Neurotic’s Notebook, ch. 5 (1963)

Dave — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:31:12 +0000

If an article is attractive, or useful, or inexpensive, they’ll stop making it tomorrow; if it’s all three, they stopped making it yesterday.

Mignon McLaughlin (1913-1983) American journalist and author
The Neurotic’s Notebook, ch. 5 (1963)
(Source)

Allen, Ethan -- Reason, the Only Oracle of Man, ch. 2 sec. 7 (1782)

Dave — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 22:14:52 +0000

To suppose that God Almighty has confined his goodness to this world, to the exclusion of all others, is much similar to the idle fancies of some individuals in this world, that they, and those of their communion or faith, are the favorites of heaven exclusively; but these are narrow and bigoted conceptions, which are degrading to a rational nature, and utterly unworthy of God, of whom we should form the most exalted ideas.

Ethan Allen (1738-1789) American businessman, land speculator, revolutionary, writer
Reason, the Only Oracle of Man, ch. 2 sec. 7 (1782)
(Source)

Tolstoy, Leo -- Letter

Dave — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 22:49:45 +0000

I have found that a story leaves a deeper impression when it is impossible to tell which side the author is on.

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian novelist and moral philosopher
Letter

Writing to a friend about Anna Karenina, and how he had rewritten a conversation (Part 4, ch. 1) between Levin and the priest four times, to hide which one he favored.

Mauriac, Francois -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 19:52:27 +0000

“Tell me what you read and I’ll tell you who you are” is true enough, but I’d know you better if you told me what you re-read.

François Mauriac (1885-1970) French author, critic, journalist
(Attributed)

Johnson, Lyndon -- Quoted in Leslie Carpenter, “Whip from Texas,” Collier’s (1951-02-17)

Dave — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:29:14 +0000

There are no favorites in my office. I treat them all with the same general inconsideration.

Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) American politician, educator, US President (1963-69)
Quoted in Leslie Carpenter, “Whip from Texas,” Collier’s (1951-02-17)
(Source)

When asked, as a freshman US Senator, about favoritism among his staff.