WIST Quotations

Churchill, Winston -- Comment (c. 1940s)

Dave — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 13:16:31 +0000

In the course of my life I have often had to eat my words, and I must confess that I have always found it a wholesome diet.

Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British statesman and author
Comment (c. 1940s)
(Source)

Quoted by Lord Normanbrook in John Wheeler-Bennett, ed., Action This Day: Working with Churchill, p. 28 (1968).

Frequently paraphrased as:

"Eating my words has never given me indigestion."
"I have never developed indigestion from eating my words."

Stevenson, Adlai -- Speech (1952-09-05), “Time for a Change –?” Colorado Volunteers for Stevenson Dinner, Denver, Colorado

Dave — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:48:01 +0000

Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them.

Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965) American diplomat, statesman
Speech (1952-09-05), “Time for a Change –?” Colorado Volunteers for Stevenson Dinner, Denver, Colorado
(Source)

Playing off of the Biblical passages Luke 4:4 and Matthew 4:4, in turn from Deuteronomy 8:3.

Joubert, Joseph -- Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 11 “De la Vérité, de l’Illusion et de l’Erreur [Of Truth, Illusion, and Error],” ¶ 57 (1850 ed.) [tr. Attwell (1896), ¶ 161]

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Those who never retract their opinions love themselves more than they love truth.

[Ceux qui ne se rétractent jamais s’aiment phis que la vérité.]

Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French moralist, philosopher, essayist, poet
Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 11 “De la Vérité, de l’Illusion et de l’Erreur [Of Truth, Illusion, and Error],” ¶ 57 (1850 ed.) [tr. Attwell (1896), ¶ 161]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

They who never retract, love themselves more than truth.
[tr. Calvert (1866), ch. 10]

Those who never retract love themselves better than truth.
[tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 10, ¶ 29]

Men who never take back their words love themselves more than truth.
[tr. Collins (1928), ch. 10]

Those who never back down love themselves more than they love the truth.
[tr. Auster (1983)], 1806]