WIST Quotations

Rogers, Will -- Column (1933-01-16), “Daily Telegram: Mr. Rogers, Singing in the Rain, Sounds a Warning to Florida” [No. 2013]

Dave — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:01:16 +0000

California is happy today. It’s raining! It’s raining!
That might mean just another mud hole to some places, but brother, when you haven’t seen a drop of water that hasn’t come through a faucet in ten months, why rain looks like a miracle from the government. Give California two months of rain in the year, and nothing can stop us but a lack of adjectives.

Will Rogers (1879-1935) American humorist
Column (1933-01-16), “Daily Telegram: Mr. Rogers, Singing in the Rain, Sounds a Warning to Florida” [No. 2013]
(Source)

Jerome, Jerome K. -- Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow, “On the Weather” (1886)

Dave — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 22:05:09 +0000

It always is wretched weather, according to us. The weather is like the Government, always in the wrong. In summer time we say it is stifling; in winter that it is killing; in spring and autumn we find fault with it for being neither one thing nor the other, and wish it would make up its mind. If it is fine, we say the country is being ruined for want of rain; if it does rain, we pray for fine weather. If December passes without snow, we indignantly demand to know what has become of our good old-fashioned winters, and talk as if we had been cheated out of something we had bought and paid for; and when it does snow, our language is a disgrace to a Christian nation. We shall never be content until each man makes his own weather, and keeps it to himself.
If that cannot be arranged, we would rather do without it altogether.

Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) English writer, humorist [Jerome Klapka Jerome]
Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow, “On the Weather” (1886)
(Source)

First published in Home Chimes (1885-07-11).

Lebowitz, Fran -- Social Studies, “Parental Guidance” (1981)

Dave — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:51:59 +0000

Do not, on a rainy day, ask your child what he feels like doing, because I assure you that what he feels like doing, you won’t feel like watching.

Fran Lebowitz (b. 1950) American journalist, essayist
Social Studies, “Parental Guidance” (1981)
(Source)

Franklin, Benjamin -- Poor Richard (1733)

Dave — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 17:18:40 +0000

After 3 days men grow weary,
of a wench, a guest, and weather rainy.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1733)
(Source)

See Plautus.

Cox, Marcelene -- “Ask Any Woman” column, Ladies’ Home Journal (1944-09)

Dave — Tue, 30 May 2023 16:56:50 +0000

Weather means more when you have a garden. There’s nothing like listening to a shower and thinking how it’s soaking in around your green beans.

Marcelene Cox (1900-1998) American writer, columnist, aphorist
“Ask Any Woman” column, Ladies’ Home Journal (1944-09)
(Source)

Parker, Dorothy -- “Testament,” Not So Deep as a Well (1936)

Dave — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 17:18:22 +0000

Oh, let it be a night of lyric rain
And singing breezes, when my bell is tolled.
I have so loved the rain that I would hold
Last in my ears its friendly, dim refrain.

Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) American writer, poet, wit
“Testament,” Not So Deep as a Well (1936)
(Source)

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth -- Tales of a Wayside Inn, “The Poet’s Tale; The Birds of Killingworth” (1863)

Dave — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 14:12:01 +0000

For after all, the best thing one can do
When it is raining, is to let it rain.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) American poet
Tales of a Wayside Inn, “The Poet’s Tale; The Birds of Killingworth” (1863)

Handey, Jack -- Deep Thoughts (1992)

Dave — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 10:30:40 +0000

If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is “God is crying.” And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is “Probably because of something you did.”

Jack Handey (b. 1949) American humorist
Deep Thoughts (1992)

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Journal (1834-04-23)

Dave — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 14:50:11 +0000

Rain, rain. The good rain, like a bad preacher, does not know when to leave off.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1834-04-23)