WIST Quotations

Carlyle, Thomas -- Poem (1825?), “My Own Four Walls,” st. 4-5

Dave — Thu, 28 May 2026 18:43:47 +0000

King George has palaces of pride,
And armed grooms must ward those halls;
With one stout bolt I safe abide
Within my own four walls.

Not all his men may sever this,
It yields to friends’, not monarchs’, calls;
My whinstone house my castle is —
I have my own four walls.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
Poem (1825?), “My Own Four Walls,” st. 4-5
(Source)

Kerr, Jean -- Essay (1955-11), “Our Gingerbread Dream House,” Ladies Home Journal

Dave — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:48:11 +0000

In the beginning, we made the usual mistake of looking at houses we could afford. I am working on a proposition, hereafter to be known as Kerr’s law, which states in essence: All the houses you can afford to buy are depressing.

Jean Kerr (1922-2003) American author and playwright [b. Bridget Jean Collins]
Essay (1955-11), “Our Gingerbread Dream House,” Ladies Home Journal
(Source)

Reprinted as "The Kerr-Hilton" in Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1957).

Moore, C. L. -- Story (1944-12), “No Woman Born,” Astounding Science Fiction, Vol. 34, No. 4

Dave — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 23:51:30 +0000

A dweller in a house may impress his personality upon the walls, but subtly the walls too, may impress their own shape upon the ego of the man.

C. L. Moore (1911-1987) American writer, feminist [Catherine Lucille Moore, Catherine Kuttner]
Story (1944-12), “No Woman Born,” Astounding Science Fiction, Vol. 34, No. 4
(Source)

Thoreau, Henry David -- Letter (1860-05-20) to Harrison Blake

Dave — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:02:51 +0000

What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American philosopher and writer
Letter (1860-05-20) to Harrison Blake
(Source)

McLaughlin, Mignon -- The Second Neurotic’s Notebook, ch. 2 (1966)

Dave — Mon, 05 May 2025 15:02:51 +0000

The ideal home: big enough for you to hear the children, but not very well.

Mignon McLaughlin (1913-1983) American journalist and author
The Second Neurotic’s Notebook, ch. 2 (1966)
(Source)

Franklin, Benjamin -- Poor Richard (1735 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 09 May 2024 15:51:23 +0000

A little House well fill’d, a little Field well till’d, and a little Wife well will’d, are great Riches.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1735 ed.)
(Source)

As with so many other proverbs, Franklin did not originate it, just presented it as Poor Richard's own.

The oldest version of this is handwritten (at the same time period) in a copy of the Grete Herball (1526), found by William Hazlitt in the late 19th C:

A little house well filled,
A little land well tilled,
And a little wife well willed,
Are great riches.

It was likely known before then. Subsequent to that, a version was included by John Ray in his Compleat English Proverbs [Ray's Proverbs] (1670):

A little house well fill'd,
a little land well till'd,
and a little wife well will'd.

It was later adapted by James Hook as "A little Farm well till'd," in the comic opera, The Soldier's Return (1805), the first lines of which read:

A little Farm well tilled,
A little Cot well filled,
A little Wife well will'd,
Give me, give me.

Cox, Marcelene -- “Ask Any Woman” column, Ladies’ Home Journal (1945-11)

Dave — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 17:06:31 +0000

A sparkling house is a fine thing if the children aren’t robbed of their luster in keeping it that way.

Marcelene Cox (1900-1998) American writer, columnist, aphorist
“Ask Any Woman” column, Ladies’ Home Journal (1945-11)
(Source)

Asquith, Margot -- Autobiography, Vol. 2, 5 May 1908 (1922)

Dave — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:07:17 +0000

Rich men’s houses are seldom beautiful, rarely comfortable, and never original. It is a constant source of surprise to people of moderate means to observe how little a big fortune contributes to Beauty.

Margot Asquith (1864-1945) British socialite, author, wit [Emma Margaret Asquith, Countess Oxford and Asquith; Margot Oxford; née Tennant]
Autobiography, Vol. 2, 5 May 1908 (1922)
(Source)

Thackeray, William Makepeace -- “On Love, Marriage, Men, and Women,” Sketches and Travels in London (1856)

Dave — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 18:18:48 +0000

A good laugh is sunshine in a house.

William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863) English novelist
“On Love, Marriage, Men, and Women,” Sketches and Travels in London (1856)
(Source)

This particular line is widely attributed to Thackeray, but rarely cited. Part of the problem is that it is almost always given as "A good laugh is sunshine in the house," rather than "a house."

It is also sometimes cited to his famous novel Vanity Fair (1848), though the quotation cannot be found there.

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- De Officiis [On Duties; On Moral Duty; The Offices], Book 1, ch. 39 (1.39) / sec. 139 (44 BC) [tr. McCartney (1798)]

Dave — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 20:10:20 +0000

Dignity of character ought to be graced by a house; but from a house it is not wholly derived. A master is not to be honored by a house; but a house by its master.

[Ornanda enim est dignitas domo, non ex domo tota quaerenda, nec domo dominus, sed domino domus honestanda est.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
De Officiis [On Duties; On Moral Duty; The Offices], Book 1, ch. 39 (1.39) / sec. 139 (44 BC) [tr. McCartney (1798)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:

It is well if a man can enhance that credit and reputation he has gotten by the splendour of his house; but he must not depend on his house alone for it; for the master ought to bring honour to his fine seat, and not the fine seat bring honour to its master.
[tr. Cockman (1699)]

For dignity should be adorned by a palace, but not be wholly sought from it: -- the house ought to be ennobled by the master, and not the master by the house.
[tr. Edmonds (1865)]

In truth, high standing in the community should be adorned by a house, not sought wholly from a house; nor should the owner be honored by the house, but the house by the owner.
[tr. Peabody (1883)]

The house should not constitute, though it may enhance, the dignity of the master; let the master honour the house, not the house the master.
[tr. Gardiner (1899)]

Your house may add lustre to your dignity, but it will not suffice that you should derive all your dignity from your house: the master should ennoble the house, not the house the master.
[ed. Harbottle (1906)]

The truth is, a man's dignity may be enhanced by the house he lives in, but not wholly secured by it; the owner should bring honour to his house, not the house to its owner.
[tr. Miller (1913)]

A house may enhance a man's dignity, but it should not be the only source of dignity; the house should not glorify its owner, but he should enhance it.
[tr. Edinger (1974)]

Twain, Mark -- Pudd’nhead Wilson, ch. 1 (1894)

Dave — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 20:10:17 +0000

When there was room on the ledge outside of the pot s and boxes for a cat, the cat was there — in sunny weather — stretched at full length, asleep and blissful, with her furry belly to the sun and a paw curved over her nose. Then the house was complete, and its contentment and peace were made manifest to the world by this symbol, whose testimony is infallible. A home without a cat — and a well-fed, well-petted, and properly revered cat — may be a perfect home, perhaps, but how can it prove title?

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
Pudd’nhead Wilson, ch. 1 (1894)
(Source)

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- Epistulae ad Familiares [Letters to Friends], Book 9, Letter 4, sec. 1 (9.4.1), to Marcus Terentius Varro (46 BC) [tr. Williams (Loeb) (1928)]

Dave — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 20:55:09 +0000

If you have a garden in your library, we shall have all we want.

[Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, deerit nihil.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Epistulae ad Familiares [Letters to Friends], Book 9, Letter 4, sec. 1 (9.4.1), to Marcus Terentius Varro (46 BC) [tr. Williams (Loeb) (1928)]
(Source)

In context, this is about Cicero discussing visiting Varro, and that he'll be happy to do so if the latter has a garden and a library, either to provide for body (vegetables) and mind, or else a garden library to have a pleasant place to think and talk during his visit.

The phrase, out of context and in more popular usage, changes the pronouns a bit, and is usually presented as a broad suggestion that all a person needs at their house to meet their mental and emotional needs is a garden and a library, e.g., the ubiquitous "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."

(Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:

Let there be a garden in your Librarie, it is no matter for the rest.
[tr. Webbe (1620)]

As your library is situated in your garden, I shall want nothing to complete my two favorite amusements; reading and walking.
[tr. Melmoth (1753), 8.14]

If you have a garden in your library, everything will be complete.
[tr. Shuckburgh (1899), # 464]

If you have a kitchen garden in your library we shall lack for nothing.
[tr. Shackleton Bailey (1978), # 180]

If you have a garden in your library, you’ve got it all.
[tr. @sentantiq (2011)]

Fuller, Margaret -- Woman in the Nineteenth Century (1845)

Dave — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 03:42:44 +0000

A house is no home unless it contain food and fire for the mind as well as for the body.

Margaret Fuller (1810-1850) American journalist, critic, transcendentalist, reformer [Sarah Margaret Fuller Ossoli]
Woman in the Nineteenth Century (1845)

Martin, Steve -- L. A. Story (1991)

Dave — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:27:55 +0000

HARRIS: You know, you’re really nobody in L.A. unless you live in a house with a really big door.

Steve Martin (b. 1945) American comedian, actor, writer, producer, musician
L. A. Story (1991)
(Source)

(Source (Video))

Smith, Sydney -- Letter (1843-09-29) to Lord Murray

Dave — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:23:57 +0000

A comfortable house is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience.

Sydney Smith (1771-1845) English clergyman, essayist, wit
Letter (1843-09-29) to Lord Murray
(Source)

Gabor, Zsa Zsa -- How to Catch a Man, Keep a Man, and Get Rid of a Man (1970)

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

I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man, I keep his house.

Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917-2016) Hungarian-American actress, socialite [b. Sári Gábor]
How to Catch a Man, Keep a Man, and Get Rid of a Man (1970)
(Source)

When actually given a citation, this quote is attributed to this book by Gabor, though I have been unable to find a fully visible copy of the book online to confirm. Two other attributions of similar sentiments to Gabor:

He taught me housekeeping; when I divorce I keep the house.
]In Ned Sherrin, Cutting Edge (1984), regarding her fifth husband, George Sanders.]

I'm a wonderful housekeeper. Every time I get a divorce, I keep the house.
[In Sam Staggs, Finding Zsa-Zsa (2019)]

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- Epistulae ad Atticum [Letters to Atticus], Book 4, Letter 8, sec. 2 (4.8.2) (56 BC) [tr. Winstedt (1912)]

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

Since Tyrannio has arranged my books, the house seems to have acquired a soul.

[Postea vero quam Tyrannio mini libros disposuit, mens addita videtur meis aedibus.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Epistulae ad Atticum [Letters to Atticus], Book 4, Letter 8, sec. 2 (4.8.2) (56 BC) [tr. Winstedt (1912)]
(Source)

This seems to be the origin of the popular (mis)quote from Cicero: "A room without books is like a body without a soul."

(Source (Latin)). Alternate translation:

Moreover, since Tyrannio has arranged my books for me, my house seems to have had a soul added to it.
[tr. Shuckburgh (1900)]

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- “Works and Days,” Society and Solitude, ch. 7 (1870)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 18:00:00 +0000

A man builds a fine house; and now he has a master, and a task for life; he is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair, the rest of his days.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“Works and Days,” Society and Solitude, ch. 7 (1870)
(Source)