WIST Quotations

Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld No. 14, Lords and Ladies (1992)

Dave — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 20:04:22 +0000

“I don’t hold with paddlin’ with the occult,” said Granny firmly. “Once you start paddlin’ with the occult you start believing in spirits, and when you start believing in spirits you start believing in demons, and then before you know where you are you’re believing in gods. And then you’re in trouble.”
“But all them things exist,” said Nanny Ogg.
“That’s no call to go around believing in them. It only encourages ’em.”

Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) English author
Discworld No. 14, Lords and Ladies (1992)

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1871-01 (1871 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 23:17:35 +0000

Mankind loves misterys, a hole in the ground excites more wonder than a star up in heaven.

[Mankind loves mysteries; a hole in the ground excites more wonder than a star in the heaven.]

Josh Billings (1818–1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1871-01 (1871 ed.)

Reused in Everybody's Friend, Or; Josh Billing's Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 148 "Affurisms: Ink Brats" (1874):

Mankind loves misterys -- a hole in the ground, excites more wonder than a star in the heavens.

Cleaned up and expanded in Wit and Wisdom of Josh Billings (1913) [ed. H. Montague]:

Mankind in general love MYSTERIES. A hole in the ground generally excites more wonder and stirs up more curiosity than a strange star in the heavens.

Asimov, Isaac -- Foundation’s Edge, ch. 12 “Agent” (1982)

Dave — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 12:53:57 +0000

Once you get it into your head that somebody is controlling events, you can interpret everything in that light and find no reasonable certainty anywhere.

Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) Russian-American author, polymath, biochemist
Foundation’s Edge, ch. 12 “Agent” (1982)

Brewster, Kingman -- Speech, British Institute of Management (13 Dec 1977)

Dave — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 13:28:55 +0000

Incomprehensible jargon is the hallmark of a profession.

Kingman Brewster, Jr. (1919–1988) American educator, diplomat
Speech, British Institute of Management (13 Dec 1977)

Shakespeare, William -- Henry IV, Part 1, Act 3, sc. 1, l. 55ff (3.1.55-57) (1597)

Dave — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:24:28 +0000

GLENDOWER: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.

HOTSPUR: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) English dramatist and poet
Henry IV, Part 1, Act 3, sc. 1, l. 55ff (3.1.55-57) (1597)

Eisenhower, Dwight David -- Commencement Speech, Dartmouth College (14 Jun 1953)

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

Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don’t be afraid to go in your library and read every book, as long as that document does not offend your own ideas of decency. That should be the only censorship.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890–1969) American general, US President (1953–61)
Commencement Speech, Dartmouth College (14 Jun 1953)