WIST Quotations

Martin, Judith -- “Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2010-05-07)

Dave — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:50:36 +0000

We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, Miss Manners believes, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them.

Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
“Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2010-05-07)
(Source)

Gershwin, Ira -- “They Can’t Take That Away from Me”, Shall We Dance (1937)

Dave — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 20:10:24 +0000

The way you wear your hat,
The way you sip your tea,
The mem’ry of all that —
No, no! They can’t take that away from me!

Ira Gershwin (1896-1983) American lyricist [b. Israel Gershowitz]
“They Can’t Take That Away from Me”, Shall We Dance (1937)
(Source)

Maher, Bill -- “Bill Maher, Incorrect American Patriot,” Interview with Sharon Waxman, Washington Post (8 Nov 2002)

Dave — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 01:51:48 +0000

You know, here in America we’re loyal to our flaws. It’s like, if we change even our flaws there’s something wrong.

William "Bill" Maher (b. 1956) American comedian, political commentator, critic, television host.
“Bill Maher, Incorrect American Patriot,” Interview with Sharon Waxman, Washington Post (8 Nov 2002)
(Source)

Sterne, Laurence -- Tristam Shandy, Book 1, ch. 7 (1760-1767)

Dave — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 16:35:18 +0000

So long as a man rides his hobbyhorse peaceably and quietly along the King’s highway, and neither compels you or me to get up behind him — pray, Sir, what have either you or I to do with it?

Laurence Sterne (1713-1786) Anglo-Irish novelist, Anglican clergyman
Tristam Shandy, Book 1, ch. 7 (1760-1767)

Aristotle -- (Attributed)

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

There is no great genius without a touch of madness.

[Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit.]

Aristotle (384-322 BC) Greek philosopher
(Attributed)

Attributed to Aristotle in Seneca the Younger, "On Tranquility of Mind [De Tranquillitate Animi]" (17.10) (c. AD 60). (Source (Latin)).

Alternate translations:

"There is no great genius without a mixture of madness." [Example (1851)]
"No great genius was without a mixture of insanity." [tr. Langsdorf (1900)]
"No great genius has ever been without a touch of insanity." [tr. Stewart (1900), "On Peace of Mind"]
"No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness." [Example (1906)]
"No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness." [tr. Basore (1932)]
"No great genius has ever existed without a dash of lunacy." [tr. Davie (2007)]
"There was never any great genius without a tincture of insanity." [tr. @sentantiq (2018)]
"There was never a genius without a tincture of madness."
"No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness."

This quotation as such is not found in surviving Aristotle. It may either represent something from Aristotle that has been lost since Seneca, or else Seneca fabricating a quote, quoting something spurious, or paraphrasing something Aristotle did write, e.g., his comments about madness/melancholy and poets/prominent talents (here and here). See also the Pseudo-Aristotle, Problemata, Book 30, ch. 1:

Why is it that all those who have become eminent in philosophy or politics or poetry or the arts are clearly of an atrabilious temperament, and some of them to such an extent as to be affected by diseases caused by black bile, as is said to have happened to Heracles among the heroes? [tr. Forster (1927)]

Kipling, Rudyard -- “On the Strength of a Likeness”

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

Everyone is more or less mad on one point.

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) English writer
“On the Strength of a Likeness”