WIST Quotations

Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. -- Hocus Pocus (1990)

Dave — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 14:45:53 +0000

Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007) American novelist, journalist
Hocus Pocus (1990)
(Source)

West, Mae -- Klondike Annie (1936)

Dave — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 20:38:35 +0000

FRISCO DOLL: Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.

Mae West (1892-1980) American film actress
Klondike Annie (1936)

Bacon, Francis -- “Of Innovations,” Essays, No. 24 (1625)

Dave — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 00:56:54 +0000

As the births of living creatures at first are ill-shapen, so are all Innovations, which are the births of time.

Francis Bacon (1561-1626) English philosopher, scientist, author, statesman
“Of Innovations,” Essays, No. 24 (1625)
(Source)

Ford, Henry -- Ford Ideals (1922)

Dave — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 01:20:35 +0000

Change is not always progress. […] A fever of newness has been everywhere confused with the spirit of progress.

Henry Ford (1863-1947) American industrialist
Ford Ideals (1922)

Coolidge, Susan -- “New Every Morning”

Dave — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 14:36:09 +0000

Every morning is a fresh beginning,
Listen my soul to the glad refrain.
And, spite of old sorrows
And older sinning,
Troubles forecasted
And possible pain,
Take heart with the day and begin again.

Susan Coolidge (1835-1905) American author [pseud. for Sarah Chauncey Woolsey]
“New Every Morning”

Rilke, Rainer Maria -- Letter (1907-01-01) to Clara Rilke

Dave — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:08:17 +0000

And now let us believe in a long year that is given to us, new, untouched, full of things that have never been, full of work that has never been done, full of tasks, claims, and demands; and let us see that we learn to take it without letting fall too much of what it has to bestow upon those who demand of it necessary, serious, and great things.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1963) German poet
Letter (1907-01-01) to Clara Rilke
(Source)

Usually paraphrased: "And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been."

Tennyson, Alfred, Lord -- “In Memoriam A. H. H.” [Arthur Henry Hallam], part 106 (1849)

Dave — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:06:24 +0000

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) English poet
“In Memoriam A. H. H.” [Arthur Henry Hallam], part 106 (1849)