WIST Quotations

Adams, John -- (Attributed)

Dave — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 21:15:24 +0000

Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.

John Adams (1735–1826) American lawyer, Founding Father, statesman, US President (1797–1801)
(Attributed)
(Source)

Attributed by Josiah Quincy III, as described anecdotally in L. Maria Child's essay "Hints About Health," collected in her book Looking Toward Sunset: From Sources Old and New, Original and Selected (1865). Child describes Quincy attributing his own long life and acuity to the above advice given by Adams when Adams was asked how his mind was so vigorous in old age.

At one point I had this exchange sourced as being a letter from Adams to Quincy (1825-02-14). I am at present unable to find a record or reference online of such a letter.

Sometimes (perhaps due to the recipient's name), the quote is misattributed to Adams' son, John Quincy Adams.

Mencken, H. L. -- A Little Book in C Major, ch. 2, § 3 (1916)

Dave — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:08:25 +0000

An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it is also more nourishing.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
A Little Book in C Major, ch. 2, § 3 (1916)
(Source)

Variants:

IDEALIST: one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup.
A Book of Burlesques, "The Jazz Webster" (1924)

An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup.
Chrestomathy, ch. 30 "Sententiae" (1949)

Mencken, H. L. -- Minority Report (1956)

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

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule — and both commonly succeed, and are right.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
Minority Report (1956)