WIST Quotations

Hugo, Victor -- The Man Who Laughs [L’Homme qui rit; The Laughing Man; By Order of the King], Part 1, Book 0, ch. 1, sec. 4 (1.0.1.4) (1869) [tr. Unknown, Authorized (1871)]

Dave — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 23:38:00 +0000

He did not smile, as we have already said, but he used to laugh; sometimes, indeed frequently, a bitter laugh. There is consent in a smile, while a laugh is often a refusal.

[Il ne souriait pas, nous l’avons dit, mais il riait; parfois, fréquemment même; d’un rire amer. Il y a du consentement dans le sourire, tandis que le rire est souvent un refus.]

Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French writer, journalist, human rights activist, politician
The Man Who Laughs [L’Homme qui rit; The Laughing Man; By Order of the King], Part 1, Book 0, ch. 1, sec. 4 (1.0.1.4) (1869) [tr. Unknown, Authorized (1871)]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Other translations:

Ursus did not smile, as we have already said, but he used to laugh, -- sometimes, indeed frequently, a bitter laugh. There is consent in a smile, while a laugh is often a refusal.
[tr. Unknown (1869)]

He did not smile, as we have said, but he laughed; sometimes, frequently even, with a bitter laugh. There is consent in the smile, while the laugh is often a refusal.
[tr. Hapgood (1888)]

He did not smile, as we have said, but he laughed; at times, even frequently, with a bitter laugh. There is satisfaction in a smile, while a laugh is often a refusal.
[tr. Phillips (1894)]

He did not smile, as we have said, but he laughed; sometimes, frequently even, a bitter laugh. There is consent in the smile, while laughter is often a refusal.
[tr. Lavelle (2003)]

Byron, George Gordon, Lord -- Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto 4, st. 109 (1818)

Dave — Mon, 12 May 2025 18:09:24 +0000

Man!
Thou pendulum betwixt a smile and tear.

George Gordon, Lord Byron (1788–1824) English poet
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Canto 4, st. 109 (1818)
(Source)

Wilde, Oscar -- The Picture of Dorian Gray, ch. 14 (1891)

Dave — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 16:27:58 +0000

Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms.

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish poet, wit, dramatist
The Picture of Dorian Gray, ch. 14 (1891)
(Source)

Catullus -- Carmina # 39 “To Egnatius,” ll. 15-16 [tr. McDonnell (1998)]

Dave — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:43:29 +0000

I still should not want you to smile on all occasions:
for nothing is more silly than a silly smile.

[Tamen renidere usque quaque te nollem;
Nam risu inepto res ineptior nulla est.]

Catullus (c. 84 BC – c. 54 BC) Latin poet [Gaius Valerius Catullus]
Carmina # 39 “To Egnatius,” ll. 15-16 [tr. McDonnell (1998)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Other translations:

E'en then that ceaseless ill-tim'd grin forego:
A silly laugh's the silliest thing I know.
[tr. Nott (1795), # 37]

I'd say renounce thy ceaseless idiot grin,
A silly laugh is folly, if not sin.
[tr. Cranstoun (1867)]

Yet sweetly smiling ever I would have you not,
For silly laughter, it's a silly thing indeed.
[tr. Ellis (1871)]

Yet thy incessant grin I would not see,
For naught than laughter silly sillier be.
[tr. Burton (1893)]

Still I wish you wouldn't grin forever everywhere; for nothing is more senseless than senseless giggling.
[tr. Smithers (1894)]

Still I should not like you to be smiling everlastingly; for there is nothing more silly than a silly laugh.
[tr. Warre Cornish (1904)]

I would have you drop your endless grin: for nothing is more inane than inane laughter.
[tr. Stuttaford (1912)]

Still not to smile for aye is wisdom's rule:
For folly's laugh proclaims the peerless fool.
[tr. MacNaghten (1925)]

I still should still disapprove that constant smile;
It shows a silly, poor, affected style.
[tr. Wright (1926)]

Your smile would still offend me; nothing is worse
than senseless laughter from a foolish face.
[tr. Gregory (1931)]

I still wouldn't want to see you always grinning,
for nothing is more inept than inept laughter.
[tr. C. Martin (1979)]

I’d still not want you to smile all the time:
there’s nothing more foolish than foolishly smiling.
[tr. Kline (2001)]

I'd still not want you flashing yours all round since
nothing's more fatuous than a fatuous grin.
[tr. Green (2005)]

I still should not want you to smile on all occasions:
for nothing is more silly than a silly smile.
[tr. Wikisource (2018)]

Russell, Bertrand -- “On smiling,” New York American (1932-08-17)

Dave — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 16:17:19 +0000

One of the most disconcerting things about infants is that they only smile when they are pleased. They stare at visitors with round grave eyes, and when the visitors try to amuse them, they display astonishment at the foolish antics of adults. But as soon as possible, their parents teach them to seem pleased by the company of people to whom they are utterly indifferent.

Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) English mathematician and philosopher
“On smiling,” New York American (1932-08-17)
(Source)

Mackay, Charles -- Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, “Popular Follies of Great Cities” (1841)

Dave — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 23:37:41 +0000

He who walks through a great city to find subjects for weeping, may find plenty at every corner to wring his heart; but let such a man walk on his course, and enjoy his grief alone—we are not of those who would accompany him. The miseries of us poor earth-dwellers gain no alleviation from the sympathy of those who merely hunt them out to be pathetic over them. The weeping philosopher too often impairs his eyesight by his woe, and becomes unable from his tears to see the remedies for the evils which he deplores. Thus it will often be found that the man of no tears is the truest philanthropist, as he is the best physician who wears a cheerful face, even in the worst of cases.

Charles Mackay (1814–1889) Scottish poet, journalist, song writer
Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, “Popular Follies of Great Cities” (1841)
(Source)

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 1395 (1725)

Dave — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:40:12 +0000

Some by their continual grinning, and shewing their Teeth, make Men doubt whether they honor them, or laugh at them.

Thomas Fuller (1654–1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 1395 (1725)
(Source)

Chesterfield (Lord) -- Letter to his son, #312 (26 Mar 1754)

Dave — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:06:31 +0000

Let this be one invariable rule of your conduct — Never to show the least symptom of resentment which you cannot to a certain degree gratify, but always to smile, where you cannot strike.

Lord Chesterfield (1694–1773) English statesman, wit [Philip Dormer Stanhope]
Letter to his son, #312 (26 Mar 1754)

Hugo, Victor -- Les Misérables, Part 2 “Cosette,” Book 8 “Cemeteries Take What Is Given Them,” ch. 9 (2.8.9) (1862) [tr. Wilbour (1862)]

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

Laughter is sunshine; it chases winter from the human face.

[Le rire, c’est le soleil; il chasse l’hiver du visage humain.]

Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French writer, journalist, human rights activist, politician
Les Misérables, Part 2 “Cosette,” Book 8 “Cemeteries Take What Is Given Them,” ch. 9 (2.8.9) (1862) [tr. Wilbour (1862)]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Other translations:

For laughter is the sun which drives winter from the human face.
[tr. Wraxall (1862)]

A smile is the same as sunshine; it banishes winter from the human countenance.
[tr. Hapgood (1887)]

Laughter is a sun that drives out winter from the human face.
[tr. Denny (1976)]

Laughter is sunshine; it chases winter from the human face.
[tr. Wilbour/Fahnestock/MacAfee (1987)]

Laughter is sunshine. It banishes winter from the human countenance.
[tr. Donougher (2013)]