Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:20:34 +0000

Words cutt more than swords.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]
(Source)

A common proverbial concept before and after. See also the Bible, Shakespeare (1590), Shakespeare (1598), Herbert (1640), Franklin (1744), Irving (1820), Lowell (1914), Sarton (1973), Fry (1997), Ginott (2003).

Lewis, Sinclair -- Main Street, ch. 31, sec. 2 (1920)

Dave — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 17:30:05 +0000

There are two insults which no human being will endure: The assertion that he hasn’t a sense of humor, and the doubly impertinent assertion that he has never known trouble.

Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) American novelist, playwright
Main Street, ch. 31, sec. 2 (1920)
(Source)

WIST Quotations

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Lewis, Sinclair -- Main Street, ch. 31, sec. 2 (1920)