WIST Quotations

Doyle, Arthur Conan -- Story (1886-04), “A Study in Scarlet,” Part 1, ch. 4 [Holmes], Beeton’s Christmas Annual, Vol. 28 (1887-11-21)

Dave — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:48:37 +0000

I’m not going to tell you much more of the case, Doctor. You know a conjurer gets no credit once he has explained his trick; and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all.

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) British writer and physician
Story (1886-04), “A Study in Scarlet,” Part 1, ch. 4 [Holmes], Beeton’s Christmas Annual, Vol. 28 (1887-11-21)
(Source)

Published in novel form 1888-07.

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1875-11 (1875 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:43:52 +0000

The quickest way to take the starch out ov a man who iz allwuss blameing himself, is to agree with him, this aint what he iz looking for.

[The quickest way to take the starch out of a man who is always blaming himself, is to agree with him; this ain’t what he is looking for.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1875-11 (1875 ed.)
(Source)

Bolt, Robert -- Lawrence of Arabia, Part 1, sc. 38 (1962) [with Michael Wilson]

Dave — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:13:34 +0000

MURRAY: If you’re insubordinate with me, Lawrence, I’ll put you under arrest!

LAWRENCE: It’s my manner, sir.

MURRAY: What?

LAWRENCE: My manner, sir. It looks insubordinate, but it isn’t really.

MURRAY: I can’t make out whether you’re bloody bad-mannered or just half-witted.

LAWRENCE: I have the same problem, sir.

MURRAY: Shut up!

LAWRENCE: Yes, sir.

Robert Bolt (1924-1995) English dramatist
Lawrence of Arabia, Part 1, sc. 38 (1962) [with Michael Wilson]
(Source)

In the movie, the dialog is nearly identical:

MURRAY: If you're insubordinate with me, Lawrence, I shall put you under arrest.
LAWRENCE: It's my manner, sir.
MURRAY: Your what?
LAWRENCE: My manner, sir. It looks insubordinate, but it isn't really.
MURRAY: Well, I can't make out whether you're bloody bad-mannered or just half-witted.
LAWRENCE: I have the same problem, sir.
MURRAY: Shut up.
LAWRENCE: Yes, sir.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Essay (1841), “Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series, No. 2

Dave — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:26:31 +0000

A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his.
In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. They teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side. Else to-morrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinion from another.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Essay (1841), “Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series, No. 2
(Source)

This essay was inspired by his reading of Walter Savage Landor in 1833, with passages pulled from his lecture "Individualism," last in his course on "The Philosophy of History" (1836–1837), with other passages from the lectures "School," "Genius," and "Duty" in his course on "Human Life" (1838–1839).