WIST Quotations

Mencken, H. L. -- A Little Book in C Major, ch. 5, § 22 (1916)

Dave — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 12:28:11 +0000

The objection to Puritans is not that they try to make us think as they do, but that they try to make us do as they think.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
A Little Book in C Major, ch. 5, § 22 (1916)
(Source)

Phillips, Wendell -- Speech, Pilgrim Society, Plymouth (21 Dec 1855)

Dave — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:44:45 +0000

Goethe says that, if you plant an oak in a flower-vase, either the oak must wither or the vase crack; some men go for saving the vase. Too many nowadays have that anxiety; the Puritans would have let it crack. So say I. If there is anything that cannot bear free thought, let it crack.

Wendell Phillips (1811-1884) American abolitionist, orator, social activist
Speech, Pilgrim Society, Plymouth (21 Dec 1855)
(Source)

Dunne, Finley Peter -- Mr. Dooley’s Opinions, “Thanksgiving” (1900)

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

‘Twas founded be th’ Puritans to give thanks f’r bein’ presarved fr’m th’ Indyans, an’ … we keep it to give thanks we are presarved fr’m th’ Puritans.

[It was founded by the Puritans to give thanks for being preserved from the Indians, and … we keep it to give thanks we are preserved from the Puritans.]

Finley Peter Dunne (1867-1936) American humorist and journalist
Mr. Dooley’s Opinions, “Thanksgiving” (1900)