WIST Quotations

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 2305 (1727)

Dave — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:32:04 +0000

If it were enough, to repent the last Day of thy Life; yet how canst thou be sure to do that; unless thou doest it this very Day? Since this Day may be (for ought thou knowest) thy last.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 2305 (1727)
(Source)

Housman, A. E. -- A Shropshire Lad, No. 13 (1896)

Dave — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 21:09:24 +0000

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
“Give crowns and pounds and guineas
But not your heart away;
Give pearls away and rubies,
But keep your fancy free.”
But I was one-and-twenty,
No use to talk to me.

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard him say again,
“The heart out of the bosom
Was never given in vain;
‘Tis paid with sighs a plenty
And sold for endless rue.”
And I am two-and-twenty,
And oh, ’tis true, ’tis true.

A. E. Housman (1859-1936) English scholar and poet [Alfred Edward Housman]
A Shropshire Lad, No. 13 (1896)
(Source)

Kitt, Eartha -- In Lon Tuck, “It’s Been a Long Time But … Eartha’s Back!” Washington Post (1978-01-19)

Dave — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 05:29:37 +0000

I don’t think there is anything I have done that I wish I hadn’t done. Because I learn from everything I do. I’m in school every day. My diploma will be my tombstone.

Eartha Kitt (1927-2008) American singer and actress
In Lon Tuck, “It’s Been a Long Time But … Eartha’s Back!” Washington Post (1978-01-19)
(Source)

When a citation is given to this quotation, it's usually "Playbill 1978." It does indeed show up in an (unknown month) of Playbill Magazine in 1978, also in association with her starring role in the stage show Timbuktu, which opened on Broadway March 1st of that year, but this article appears to be the source. (see comments for the helpful tip).

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- (Spurious)

Dave — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:29:48 +0000

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
(Spurious)

This widely spread inspirational quotation is actually a piecing-together of multiple phrases from different sources, some not even Emerson. It includes bits from his essay "Works and Days" (here and here), observations on Emerson by Lillian Whiting, and fragments from a letter by him to his daughter Ellen.

The result sounds much like Emerson, but would require more ellipses than text to qualify as a quotation of him. It would be a great candidate for an AI "quotation" except that references to it can be found back in the 2010s, so it is almost certainly of human origin.

More detailed discussion: poetry - From which book or essay are these words by Ralph Waldo Emerson? "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year..." - Literature Stack Exchange.

Burton, Robert -- Anatomy of Melancholy, Part 3, sec. 2, member 5, subsec. 5 (1621, 2nd ed.)

Dave — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 16:11:50 +0000

He that will not when he may,
When he will he shall have nay.

Robert Burton (1577-1640) English scholar
Anatomy of Melancholy, Part 3, sec. 2, member 5, subsec. 5 (1621, 2nd ed.)
(Source)

Generally attributed to Burton, but the text is set as a quotation on the page. This form seems to date from c. 1450; an earlier 1303 passage goes:

He that wyl nat when he may,
He shal nat, when he wyl.

More discussion here and here.

Ali, Muhammad -- “What I’ve Learned,” Esquire (Jan 2004)

Dave — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 23:58:25 +0000

Brooding over blunders is the biggest blunder.

Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) American boxer, activist [b. Cassius Clay]
“What I’ve Learned,” Esquire (Jan 2004)
(Source)

Herold, Don -- Essay (1931-12), “I’d Pick More Daisies,” College Humor magazine, Vol. 10, No. 96

Dave — Fri, 29 May 2020 21:05:45 +0000

If I had my life to live over, I would try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I know of very few things I would take seriously. I would be crazier. I would be less hygienic. I would take more chances. I would take more trips. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would burn up more gasoline. I would eat more ice cream and less bran. I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.

Don Herold (1889-1966) American humorist, cartoonist, author
Essay (1931-12), “I’d Pick More Daisies,” College Humor magazine, Vol. 10, No. 96
(Source)

Also attributed to Nadine Stair, and a Brother Jerome, among others. This essay has gone through a variety of revisions and homages, both by Herold and by a variety of borrowers. The earliest reference I could find was that cited here, as quoted in The Journal of Health and Physical Education (1935-05) [linked above].

The usual citation is to a revised version of the essay by Herold in "If I Had My Life Over -- I'd Pick More Daisies," Reader's Digest (1953-10) (and reprinted in Reader's Digest's How to Live with Life (1965).

Benjamin Rossen, "Who Would Pick More Daisies; A study of Plagiarism and Foolery on the Internet" (2000) wrote extensively on the variations and misappropriations of the poem (though he did not know of the 1935 version). See also: Essay Origin: I Would Pick More Daisies – Quote Investigator®, which includes a nice thank-you to WIST regarding this quotation. The page includes further research into and examples of the various versions of this quote, but concurs on the December 1921 original date. Interestingly, it is likely the actual publication date (not the date on the magazine) was in October, as at least one newspaper article dated 3 November 1921 references it.

Shakespeare, William -- Henry V, Act 4, sc. 3, l. 58ff (4.3.58-69) (1599)

Dave — Mon, 14 May 2018 19:19:28 +0000

HENRY: This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d, —
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me,
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England, now a-bed,
Shall think themselves accurs’d, they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap, whiles any speaks,
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet
Henry V, Act 4, sc. 3, l. 58ff (4.3.58-69) (1599)
(Source)

Chandler, Raymond -- The Big Sleep, ch. 3 (1939)

Dave — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 14:43:16 +0000

I don’t mind if you don’t like my manners. They’re pretty bad. I grieve over them during the long winter evenings.

Raymond Chandler (1888-1959) American novelist
The Big Sleep, ch. 3 (1939)
(Source)

In the 1943 movie adaptation by William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, and J. Furthman, the Phillip Marlowe line is delivered by Humphrey Bogart: "I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them on long winter evenings."

Kennedy, Florynce -- (Attributed)

Dave — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:41:13 +0000

Don’t agonize, organize.

Florynce "Flo" Kennedy (1916-2000) American lawyer, feminist, civil rights activist
(Attributed)
(Source)

Quoted in Gloria Steinem, "The Verbal Karate of Florynce R. Kennedy, Esq.," Ms. (Mar 1973).

La Bruyere, Jean de -- The Characters [Les Caractères], ch. 11 “Of Mankind [De l’Homme],” § 149 (11.149) (1688) [tr. Van Laun (1885)]

Dave — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 01:55:08 +0000

We seldom regret talking too little, but very often talking too much. This is a well-known maxim which everybody knows and nobody practices.

[L’on se repent rarement de parler peu, très souvent de trop parler: maxime usée et triviale que tout le monde sait, et que tout le monde ne pratique pas.]

Jean de La Bruyère (1645-1696) French essayist, moralist
The Characters [Les Caractères], ch. 11 “Of Mankind [De l’Homme],” § 149 (11.149) (1688) [tr. Van Laun (1885)]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

We seldom repent talking too little, but very often talking too much, a common and trivial maxim which every body knows, and no body practices.
[Bullord ed. (1696) and Curll ed. (1713)]

We seldom repent talking too little, but very often talking too much; a common obsolete Maxim, which every body knows, and no body practices.
[Browne ed. (1752)]

We seldom repent of speaking little, and very often of speaking too much; a well-worn and familiar maxim, that everyone knows but that not everyone practices.
[tr. Stewart (1970)]

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)

Lewis, C.S. -- Prince Caspian (1951)

Dave — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 01:39:01 +0000

“You mean,” said Lucy rather faintly, “that it would have turned out all right—somehow? But how? Please, Aslan! Am I not to know?”

“To know what would have happened, child?” said Aslan. “No. Nobody is ever told that.”

“Oh dear,” said Lucy.

“But anyone can find out what will happen,” said Aslan. “If you go back to the others now, and wake them up; and tell them you have seen me again; and that you must all get up at once and follow me — what will happen? There is only one way of finding out.”

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) English writer, literary scholar, lay theologian [Clive Staples Lewis]
Prince Caspian (1951)

Hunt, Leigh -- “Jenny Kissed Me” (1838)

Dave — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:33:28 +0000

Jenny kissed me when we met,
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time, you thief, who love to get
Sweets into your list, put that in:
Say I’m weary, say I’m sad,
Say that health and wealth have missed me,
Say I’m growing old, but add,
Jenny kissed me.

Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) English critic, essayist, poet, writer [James Henry Leigh Hunt]
“Jenny Kissed Me” (1838)

Though Hunt called it "rondeau" (and that is sometimes given as its title), it is not, in fact, a rondeau.

Widely republished, the punctuation (and occasional italics) of the poem vary between most reprintings.

The "Jenny" is said to be Jane Welsh Carlyle, wife of Thomas Carlyle. The embrace, in some retellings, was in gratitude for Hunt's sonnet, "On a Lock of Milton's Hair." In others it was because he brought the news that her husband had been awarded a £300 pension by the British government. In still others, it was because Hunt had been absent for so long and showed up unexpectedly.

The poem is often said to have been published in an 1838 edition of the Monthly Chronicle, but an article in American Notes and Queries (1889-11-02), quoting the Chicago Dial, says that the poem published in the November 1838 edition of Monthly Chronicle, after the (unnamed?) author discusses a desire to publish a rondeau "which was written on a real occasion," is slightly different:

Nelly kiss'd me when we met,
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time, you thief! who love to get
Sweets into your list, put that in.
Say I'm jaundic'd, say I'm sad,
Say that health and wealth have miss'd me,
Say I'm growing old, but add
Nelly kiss'd me.

Whether this was initial reticence to mention an actual acquaintance, or a matter of Hunt later changing the actual name and others inferring that that it referred to the wife of his friend, will likely never be known.

Miller, Arthur -- The Ride Down Mount Morgan, Act 1 (1991)

Dave — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:57:53 +0000

TOM: I don’t know, maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets.

Arthur Miller (1915–2005) American playwright and essayist
The Ride Down Mount Morgan, Act 1 (1991)
(Source)

Twain, Mark -- (Spurious)

Dave — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:15:04 +0000

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
(Spurious)

A common "inspirational" quote, frequently attributed to Twain, but not found in writings. Earliest found is in H. Jackson Brown, P.S. I Love You (1990), attributed to Brown's mother. More info here.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Letter to one of his daughters

Dave — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:25:32 +0000

Finish every day and be done with it. For manners and for wise living it is a vice to remember. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Letter to one of his daughters
(Source)

Gellert, Christian -- Geistliche Oden und Lieder, “Vom Tode” (1757)

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

Live as you will wish to have lived when you are dying.

[Lebe, wie Du, wenn du stirbst, / Wunschen wirst, gelebt zu haben.]

Christian Gellert (1715-1769) German poet, moralist
Geistliche Oden und Lieder, “Vom Tode” (1757)