WIST Quotations

L'Engle, Madeleine -- Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Dave — Wed, 27 May 2026 07:07:18 +0000

So let us look for beauty and grace, for love and friendship, for that which is creative and birth-giving and soul-stretching. Let us dare to laugh at ourselves, healthy, affirmative laughter. Only when we take ourselves lightly can we take ourselves seriously, so that we are given the courage to say, “Yes! I dare disturb the universe.”

Madeleine L'Engle (1918–2007) American writer
Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC
(Source)

Shakespeare, William -- Richard III, Act 1, sc. 1, l. 28ff (1.1.28-31) (1592)

Dave — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:58:14 +0000

RICHARD: And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
I am determinèd to prove a villain
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) English dramatist and poet
Richard III, Act 1, sc. 1, l. 28ff (1.1.28-31) (1592)
(Source)

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 2092 (1727)

Dave — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 16:02:20 +0000

Thou never wast so good as thou shouldest be; if thou does not strive to be better. And thou never wilt be better, if thou doest not fear to grow worse.

Thomas Fuller (1654–1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 2092 (1727)
(Source)

Sayers, Dorothy -- Thrones, Dominations, ch. 5 (1998) [with Jill Paton Walsh]

Dave — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 18:03:22 +0000

To know one’s own limitations is the hallmark of competence.

Dorothy Sayers (1893–1957) English author, translator
Thrones, Dominations, ch. 5 (1998) [with Jill Paton Walsh]
(Source)

Walsh completed the novel left unfinished at Sayers' death.

Marshall Paule -- The Chosen Place, The Timeless People (1969)

Dave — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 22:11:57 +0000

A man can’t help his feelings sometime. He don’t even understand his damn self half the time and there the trouble starts.

Paule Marshall (1929–2019) American writer
The Chosen Place, The Timeless People (1969)
(Source)

Shelley, Mary Wallstonecraft -- Frankenstein, ch. 14 (1818)

Dave — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 01:05:16 +0000

My person was hideous and my stature gigantic. What did this mean? Who was I? What was I? Whence did I come? What was my destination? These questions continually recurred, but I was unable to solve them.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797–1851) English novelist
Frankenstein, ch. 14 (1818)
(Source)

Narrated by the Monster.

De Botton, Alain -- The Consolations of Philosophy, ch. 4 “Consolation for Inadequacy” (2000)

Dave — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 20:58:53 +0000

We pick our friends not only because they are kind and enjoyable company, but also, perhaps more importantly, because they understand us for who we think we are.

Alain de Botton (b. 1969) Swiss-British author
The Consolations of Philosophy, ch. 4 “Consolation for Inadequacy” (2000)
(Source)

Jung, Carl -- Memories, Dreams, Reflections [Erinnerungen, Träume, Gedanken], ch. 9 “Travels,” sec. 2 (1961; 1973 ed.) [with Aniela Jaffé] [tr. Winton/Winton (1963)]

Dave — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 23:37:09 +0000

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.

Carl Jung (1875–1961) Swiss psychologist
Memories, Dreams, Reflections [Erinnerungen, Träume, Gedanken], ch. 9 “Travels,” sec. 2 (1961; 1973 ed.) [with Aniela Jaffé] [tr. Winton/Winton (1963)]
(Source)

Byron, George Gordon, Lord -- Don Juan, Canto 15, st. 99 (1824)

Dave — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:49:56 +0000

How little do we know that which we are!
How less what we may be!

George Gordon, Lord Byron (1788–1824) English poet
Don Juan, Canto 15, st. 99 (1824)
(Source)

Hoffer, Eric -- Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 151 (1955)

Dave — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:52:50 +0000

To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are.

Eric Hoffer (1902–1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 151 (1955)
(Source)

Faulkner, William -- Letter to David Kirk, Oxford, Miss. (8 Mar 1956)

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

I have found that the greatest help in meeting any problem with decency and self-respect and whatever courage is demanded, is to know where you yourself stand. That is, to have in words what you believe and are acting from.

William Faulkner (1897–1962) American novelist
Letter to David Kirk, Oxford, Miss. (8 Mar 1956)
(Source)