WIST Quotations

Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 101 (1647) [tr. Fischer (1937)]

Dave — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:24:43 +0000

There is no weakness without its admirer, so be not discomfited because your ways displease some, for they will not fail to be pleasing to others: nor let their approval of them make you vain, for still others will condemn them.

[No hay defecto sin afecto, ni se ha de desconfiar porque no agraden las cosas a algunos, que no faltarán otros que las aprecien; ni aun el aplauso de estos le sea materia al desvanecimiento, que otros lo condenarán.]

Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601-1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 101 (1647) [tr. Fischer (1937)]
(Source)

(Source (Spanish)). Alternate translations:

There is no fault without an adherent, and thou oughtest not to be discouraged, if what thou doest, pleases not some, seeing there will always be others who will value it. But be not proud of the approbation of these, since you will be still exposed to the censure of others.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]

There is no fault which has not some one enamoured of it, nor must we lose courage if what we do does not please some, for there are sure to be others who will value it; and yet we should not be made vain by their applause, for there are equally sure to be again others who will wholly disapprove.
[tr. Duff (1877)]

There is no defect which is not affected by some, nor need we lose heart if things please not some, for others will appreciate them. Nor need their applause turn our head, for there will surely be others to condemn.
[tr. Jacobs (1892)]

There is no defect that someone does not value, and you need not lower your opinion because a thing doesn't please some people: there will be others to appreciate it, and their applause, in turn, will be condemned.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]

Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 101 (1647) [tr. Duff (1877)]

Dave — Thu, 21 May 2026 15:44:05 +0000

As many tastes as heads, and as different.

[Tantos son los gustos como los rostros, y tan varios.]

Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601-1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 101 (1647) [tr. Duff (1877)]
(Source)

(Source (Spanish)). Alternate translations:

There are as many Opinions as Faces, and as great difference amongst the one as the other.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]

So many men, so many tastes, all different.
[tr. Jacobs (1892)]

There are as many minds, as there are heads, and as different.
[tr. Fischer (1937)]

Tastes are as abundant as faces and just as varied.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]

Stevenson, Adlai -- Speech (1952-08-27), “The Nature of Patriotism,” American Legion Convention, Madison Square Garden, New York City

Dave — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:31:33 +0000

The anatomy of patriotism is complex. But surely intolerance and public irresponsibility cannot be cloaked in the shining armor of rectitude and righteousness. Nor can the denial of the right to hold ideas that are different — the freedom of man to think as he pleases. To strike freedom of the mind with the fist of patriotism is an old and ugly subtlety.

Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965) American diplomat, statesman
Speech (1952-08-27), “The Nature of Patriotism,” American Legion Convention, Madison Square Garden, New York City
(Source)

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 2073 (1727)

Dave — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:28:26 +0000

Be not deceived: it is not that which Men believe of thee will make thee happy or miserable; but that which thou believest of thyself.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 2073 (1727)
(Source)

Stevenson, Robert Louis -- Essay (1878-03), “Crabbed Age and Youth,” Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 37

Dave — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 20:35:22 +0000

You need repent none of your youthful vagaries. They may have been over the score on one side, just as those of age are probably over the score on the other. But they had a point; they not only befitted your age and expressed its attitude and passions, but they had a relation to what was outside of you, and implied criticisms on the existing state of things, which you need not allow to have been undeserved, because you now see that they were partial.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
Essay (1878-03), “Crabbed Age and Youth,” Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 37
(Source)

Collected in Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers, ch. 2 (1881)

Ivins, Molly -- Essay (1973-01), “Pitfalls of Reporting in the Lone Star State,” Houston Journalism Review

Dave — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:09:47 +0000

It’s a damn sight simpler to criticize other people’s ideas than it is to set forth your own. One is never in so much danger of making an ass of one’s self as when one is engaged in saying, “This I believe …”

Molly Ivins (1944-2007) American writer, political columnist [Mary Tyler Ivins]
Essay (1973-01), “Pitfalls of Reporting in the Lone Star State,” Houston Journalism Review
(Source)

Collected in Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? (1991).

Martin, Judith -- Style and Substance: A Comedy of Manners, ch. 7 (1986)

Dave — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 22:23:05 +0000

People, in forming their opinions of others, are usually lazy enough to go by whatever is most obvious or whatever chance remark they happen to hear. So the best policy is to dictate to others the opinion you want them to have of you.

Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
Style and Substance: A Comedy of Manners, ch. 7 (1986)
(Source)

Lewis, Sinclair -- Babbitt, ch. 8 (1922)

Dave — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 13:56:14 +0000

The men leaned back on their heels, put their hands in their trouser-pockets, and proclaimed their views with the booming profundity of a prosperous male repeating a thoroughly hackneyed statement about a matter of which he knows nothing whatever.

Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) American novelist, playwright
Babbitt, ch. 8 (1922)

Ebner-Eschenbach, Marie von -- Aphorisms (1905)

Dave — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 13:46:17 +0000

We are so vain that we even care for the opinion of those we don’t care for.

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830-1916) Austrian writer
Aphorisms (1905)

Stout, Rex -- The League of Frightened Men, ch. 4 [Wolfe] (1935)

Dave — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 13:23:49 +0000

To assert dignity is to lose it.

Rex Stout (1886-1975) American writer
The League of Frightened Men, ch. 4 [Wolfe] (1935)

Stevenson, Robert Louis -- Essay (1878-03), “Crabbed Age and Youth,” Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 37

Dave — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 12:27:38 +0000

To hold the same views at forty as we held at twenty is to have been stupefied for a score of years, and take rank, not as a prophet, but as an unteachable brat, well birched and none the wiser. It is as if a ship captain should sail to India from the Port of London; and having brought a chart of the Thames on deck at his first setting out, should obstinately use no other for the whole voyage.

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 2, ch. 37 (2.37), “Of the Resemblance of Children to Their Fathers [De la ressemblance des enfans aux peres] (1579) [tr. Frame (1943)]

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

And there were never in the world two opinions alike, any more than two hairs or two grains. Their most universal quality is diversity.

[Et ne fut jamais au monde, deux opinions pareilles, non plus que deux poils, ou deux grains. Leur plus universelle qualité, c’est la diversité.]

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 2, ch. 37 (2.37), “Of the Resemblance of Children to Their Fathers [De la ressemblance des enfans aux peres] (1579) [tr. Frame (1943)]
(Source)

Appeared in the first (1580) edition, with revisions in succeeding editions. The specific mention of hairs and grains first appears in the 1595 edition.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

And never were there two opinions in the world alike, no more than two haires, or two graines. Diversitie is the most universall qualitie.
[tr. Florio (1603)]

There never were in the world two opinions more alike, than two hairs, or two grains; their most universal quality is diversity.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

And there never were, in the world, two opinions alike, no more than two hairs, or two grains: their most universal quality is diversity.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

And there were never in the world two opinions alike, any more than two hairs or two seeds. Their most universal quality is diversity.
[tr. Ives (1925)]

In the whole world there has never been two identical opinions, any more than two identical hairs or seeds. Their most universal characteristic is diversity. [tr. Screech (1987)]