WIST Quotations

Ericsson, Graham -- Journal (2025-06-23)

Dave — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:04:28 +0000

Why do certain sayings, certain nuggets of wisdom, survive over the centuries? Often because they are true, or true enough to be useful. Usually because they appeal to universal human emotion, regardless of their truth. Frequently because they support the status quo and so those in power. These are not exclusive reasons.

Graham Ericsson (b. 1961) American technologist, writer, aphorist
Journal (2025-06-23)

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “Proverbs in Italian” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:33:33 +0000

Easter so wished for long, passeth away in one day.

[Pasqua tanto defiata, in un giorno è passata.]

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “Proverbs in Italian” (1659) [compiler]

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “Proverbs in Italian” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:03:09 +0000

By seeing one thou knowest him half, by hearing him speak thou knowst all.

[Vedendo uno conosci mezzo, udendolo parlar il conosci tutto.]

Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld No. 3, Equal Rites (1987)

Dave — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:54:49 +0000

“If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly,” said Granny, fleeing into aphorisms, the last refuge of an adult under siege.

Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) English author
Discworld No. 3, Equal Rites (1987)

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “Proverbs in Italian” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:00:05 +0000

Too much spoiles, too little doth not satisfie.

[Il troppo guasta, il poco non basta.]

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 17:10:58 +0000

As I brew, so must I drink.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:51:24 +0000

He who will thrive, must rise at five;
He who hath thriven, may sleep till seven;
Who will not thrive at all, may sleep till eleven.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:10:06 +0000

When thou dost hear a toul or knell,
Then think upon thy passing-bel.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 27 May 2026 15:16:09 +0000

Better half a loaf then no bread.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Howell also lists this proverb on an earlier page. A similar proverb, "Better half a loaf than none at all," appears on two pages as well, the second showing how to render the phrase in French, Italian, and Spanish.

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 13 May 2026 20:03:06 +0000

One may live and learn, and be hang’d and forget all.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 06 May 2026 13:09:00 +0000

Little difference twixt a feast and a belly-ful.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:41:41 +0000

If the Sky fall we shall have Larks.

When the Sky falls we shall catch Larks.

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Dave — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:54:16 +0000

Too much money makes one madd.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “English Proverbs” (1659) [compiler]

Bierce, Ambrose -- “Adage,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1881-03-05)

Dave — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 20:16:43 +0000

ADAGE, n. A hoary-headed platitude that is kicked along the centuries until nothing is left of it but its clothes. A “saw” which has worn out its teeth on the human understanding.

Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914?) American writer and journalist
“Adage,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1881-03-05)

Not collected in later books. Instead, in The Cynic's Word Book (1906), he changed it to "Boned wisdom for weak teeth."

Stevenson, Robert Louis -- Essay (1878-03), “Crabbed Age and Youth,” Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 38

Dave — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 15:29:03 +0000

There is a strong feeling in favour of cowardly and prudential proverbs. The sentiments of a man while he is full of ardour and hope are to be received, it is supposed, with some qualification. But when the same person has ignominiously failed and begins to eat up his words, he should be listened to like an oracle. Most of our pocket wisdom is conceived for the use of mediocre people, to discourage them from ambitious attempts, and generally console them in their mediocrity. And since mediocre people constitute the bulk of humanity, this is no doubt very properly so. But it does not follow that the one sort of proposition is any less true than the other, or that Icarus is not to be more praised, and perhaps more envied, than Mr. Samuel Budgett the Successful Merchant.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
Essay (1878-03), “Crabbed Age and Youth,” Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 38

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

Russell, Bertrand -- Essay (1932-11-16), “On Proverbs,” New York American

Dave — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:18:29 +0000

The supposed wisdom of proverbs is mainly imaginary. As a rule, proverbs go in pairs which say opposite things. The opposite of “More haste, less speed” is “A stitch in time saves nine.” The opposite of “Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves,” “Penny wise, pound foolish.” The opposite of “Two heads are better than one,” is “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” And so on. The great advantage of a proverb in argument is that it is supposed to be incontrovertible, as embodying the quintessential sagacity of our ancestors. But when once you have realised that proverbs go in pairs which say opposite things you can never again be downed by a proverb; you merely quote the opposite.

Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) English mathematician and philosopher
Essay (1932-11-16), “On Proverbs,” New York American

See Howell (1659).

Kanfer, Stefan -- “Proverbs or Aphorisms,” Time (11 Jun 1983)

Dave — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 23:31:27 +0000

The aphorism is a personal observation inflated into a universal truth, a private posing as a general. A proverb is anonymous human history compressed to the size of a seed.

Stefan Kanfer (1933–2018) American writer, editor, journalist
“Proverbs or Aphorisms,” Time (11 Jun 1983)

Alger, William -- “The Utility and the Futility of Aphorisms,” Atlantic Monthly (Feb 1863)

Dave — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 06:10:21 +0000

The best aphorisms are pointed expressions of the results of observation, experience, and reflection. They are portable wisdom, the quintessential extracts of thought and feeling. They furnish the largest amount of intellectual stimulus and nutriment in the smallest compass. About every weak point in human nature, or vicious spot in human life, there is deposited a crystallization of warning and protective proverbs.

William Rounseville Alger (1822–1905) American writer, minister, translator
“The Utility and the Futility of Aphorisms,” Atlantic Monthly (Feb 1863)

Often paraphrased, "Aphorisms are portable wisdom."

Lec, Stanislaw -- Unkempt Thoughts [Myśli nieuczesane] (1957) [tr. Gałązka (1962)]

Dave — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 17:18:44 +0000

Proverbs contradict each other. That is the wisdom of a nation.

Stanislaw Lec (1909–1966) Polish aphorist, poet, satirist
Unkempt Thoughts [Myśli nieuczesane] (1957) [tr. Gałązka (1962)]

Naylor, James Ball -- “King David and King Solomon” (1935)

Dave — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 02:43:32 +0000

King David and King Solomon
Led merry merry lives,
With many, many lady friends,
And many many wives;
But when old age crept over them —
With many, many qualms! —
King Solomon wrote the Proverbs
And King David wrote the Psalms.

James Ball Naylor (1860–1945) American physician, writer, poet, politician
“King David and King Solomon” (1935)

Verne, Jules -- The Survivors of the Chancellor, ch. 5 “An Unusual Route” (1875)

Dave — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 17:11:00 +0000

Poets are like proverbs: you can always find one to contradict another.

[Les poëtes sont comme les proverbes : l’un est toujours là pour contredire l’autre.]

Jules Verne (1828–1905) French novelist, poet, playwright
The Survivors of the Chancellor, ch. 5 “An Unusual Route” (1875)

Cervantes, Miguel de -- Don Quixote, Part 2 (1615)

Dave — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:05:30 +0000

A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience.

Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish novelist
Don Quixote, Part 2 (1615)

Heywood, John -- Proverbes, Part 1, ch. 4 (1546)

Dave — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:50:14 +0000

When the skie falth we shall have Larkes.

[When the sky falls, we shall have larks.]

John Heywood (1497?-1580?) English playwright and epigrammist
Proverbes, Part 1, ch. 4 (1546)

See Howell (1659).

Vauvenargues, Luc de -- Reflections and Maxims [Réflexions et maximes], #107 (1746) [tr Stevens (1940)]

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

Men’s maxims reveal their characters.

Luc de Clapiers, Marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–1747) French moralist, essayist, soldier
Reflections and Maxims [Réflexions et maximes], #107 (1746) [tr Stevens (1940)]

Alt. trans.: "The maxims of men reveal their hearts."