WIST Quotations

Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld Series No. 24, The Fifth Elephant (1999)

Dave — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 20:42:06 +0000

Sam Vimes could parallel process. Most husbands can. They learn to follow their own line of thought while at the same time listening to what their wives say. And the listening is important, because at any time they could be challenged and must be ready to quote the last sentence in full. A vital additional skill is being able to scan the dialogue for telltale phrases such as “and they can deliver it tomorrow” or “so I’ve invited them for dinner” or “they can do it in blue, really quite cheaply.”

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) English author
Discworld Series No. 24, The Fifth Elephant (1999)
(Source)

Brooks, Louise -- Lulu in Hollywood, ch. 5 “The Other Face of W. C. Fields” (1982)

Dave — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 16:38:14 +0000

Anyone who has achieved excellence in any form knows that it comes as a result of ceaseless concentration. Paying attention.

Louise "Lulu" Brooks (1906-1985) American film actress, dancer, writer
Lulu in Hollywood, ch. 5 “The Other Face of W. C. Fields” (1982)
(Source)

Writing of Mack Sennett.

Dante Alighieri -- The Divine Comedy [Divina Commedia], Book 1 “Inferno,” Canto 15, l. 99ff (15.99) (1309) [tr. James (2013)]

Dave — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 21:27:07 +0000

He listens well
Who takes notes.

[Bene ascolta chi la nota.]

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) Italian poet
The Divine Comedy [Divina Commedia], Book 1 “Inferno,” Canto 15, l. 99ff (15.99) (1309) [tr. James (2013)]
(Source)

Virgil either warning Dante to consider all the predictions / warnings he's receiving from the damned about "future" political troubles, or else praising him for appearing to have remembered them (interpretations vary).

(Source (Italian)). Alternate translations:

He listens well, who what he hears remarks.
[tr. Rogers (1782), l. 96]

"Unhappy is the man," exclaim'd my Guide,
"From whose weak mind the words of wisdom glide."
[tr. Boyd (1802), st. 18]

He listens to good purpose who takes note.
[tr. Cary (1814)]

Well doth he hear, who marks what he hath heard.
[tr. Dayman (1843)]

He listens well who notes it.
[tr. Carlyle (1849)]

He listens well who notes.
[tr. Bannerman (1850)]

He listens well who noteth well.
[tr. Johnston (1867)]

He listeneth well who noteth it.
[tr. Longfellow (1867)]

Well listens he who marks it.
[tr. Butler (1885)]

Who noteth well, he well doth hear.
[tr. Minchin (1885)]

He listens well who notes it.
[tr. Norton (1892)]

He listeneth well that layeth it to heart.
[tr. Sullivan (1893)]

He listens well who notes the matter.
[tr. Griffith (1908)]

He is a good listener who takes note.
[tr. Sinclair (1939)]

He listens well who noteth well the word.
[tr. Binyon (1943)]

Well-heeded is well-heard.
[tr. Sayers (1949)]

Well heeded is well heard.
[tr. Ciardi (1954)]

He who notes it listens well.
[tr. Singleton (1970)]

He listens well who notes well what he hears.
[tr. Musa (1971)]

He who takes note of this has listened well.
[tr. Mandelbaum (1980)]

Those are the words of a good listener!
[tr. Sisson (1981)]

He who has listened well will understand.
[tr. Pinsky (1994)]

He listens well who takes note.
[tr. Durling (1996)]

He listens closely, who notes it.
[tr. Kline (2002)]

"Those listen well," he said, "who take good note."
[tr. Kirkpatrick (2006)]

He listens well who takes in what he hears.
[tr. Hollander/Hollander (2007)]

It's good
To hear such words, for they are truly profound.
[tr. Raffel (2010)]

Tolstoy, Leo -- War and Peace, Book 10, ch. 17 (1865-1869)

Dave — Sat, 28 May 2011 05:16:48 +0000

At the approach of danger there are always two voices that speak with equal force in the heart of man: one very reasonably tells the man to consider the nature of the danger and the means of avoiding it; the other even more reasonable says that it is too painful and harassing to think of the danger, since it is not a man’s power to provide for everything and escape from the general march of events; and that it is therefore better to turn aside from the painful subject till it has come, and to think of what is pleasant. In solitude a man generally yields to the first voice; in society to the second.

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian novelist and moral philosopher
War and Peace, Book 10, ch. 17 (1865-1869)

Thoreau, Henry David -- Walden; or, Life in the Woods, ch. 18 “Conclusion” (1854)

Dave — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:32:14 +0000

Only that day dawns to which we are awake.

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American philosopher and writer
Walden; or, Life in the Woods, ch. 18 “Conclusion” (1854)
(Source)

Milne, A. A. -- House at Pooh Corner, ch. 3 “The Search for Small” (1928)

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

The next moment the day became very bothering indeed, because Pooh was so busy not looking where he was going that he stepped on a piece of the Forest which had been left out by mistake.

A. A. Milne (1882-1956) English poet and playwright [Alan Alexander Milne]
House at Pooh Corner, ch. 3 “The Search for Small” (1928)
(Source)