WIST Quotations

Addison, Joseph -- Essay (1711-11-17), The Spectator, No. 225

Dave — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:39:57 +0000

Though a man has all other perfections, and wants discretion, he will be of no great consequence in the world; but if he has this single talent in perfection, and but a common share of others, he may do what he pleases in his station of life.

Joseph Addison (1672-1719) English essayist, poet, statesman
Essay (1711-11-17), The Spectator, No. 225
(Source)

Euripides -- Medea [Μήδεια], l. 319ff (431 BC) [tr. Vellacott (1963)]

Dave — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:33:47 +0000

CREON: A woman of hot temper — and a man the same —
Is a less dangerous enemy than one quiet and clever.

[ΚΡΈΩΝ: Γυνὴ γὰρ ὀξύθυμος, ὡς δ᾽ αὔτως ἀνήρ,
ῥᾴων φυλάσσειν ἢ σιωπηλὸς σοφή.]

Euripides (485?-406? BC) Greek tragic dramatist
Medea [Μήδεια], l. 319ff (431 BC) [tr. Vellacott (1963)]
(Source)

Expressing his mistrust of how reasonably, if tragically, Medea is presenting herself.

(Source (Greek)). Other translations:

For 'gainst those
Of hasty tempers with more ease we guard.
Or men or women, than the silent foe
Who acts with prudence.
[tr. Wodhull (1782)]

A woman, or a man, whose fiery spirit
Flames out with anger, puts us on our guard,
More than the prudent calmness that conceals
Its hate in silence.
[tr. Potter (1814)]

For a woman passionate, yea and a man,
Is easier warded than a silent plotter.
[tr. Webster (1868)]

For cunning woman, and man likewise, is easier to guard against when quick-tempered than when taciturn.
[tr. Coleridge (1891)]

For a woman that is quick to anger, and a man likewise, is easier to guard against, than one that is crafty and keeps silence.
[tr. Buckley (1892)]

The vehement-hearted woman -- yea, or man --
Is easier watched-for than the silent-cunning.
[tr. Way (Loeb) (1894)]

A woman quick of wrath, aye, or a man,
Is easier watching than the cold and still.
[tr. Murray (1906)]

A sharp-tempered woman, or, for that matter, a man,
Is easier to deal with than the clever type
Who holds her tongue.
[tr. Warner (1944)]

A woman, just like a man, who is quick to wrath
Is easier guarded than one wise and silent.
[tr. Podlecki (1989)]

A hot-tempered woman -- and a hot-tempered man likewise -- is easier to guard against than a clever woman who keeps her own counsel.
[tr. Kovacs (1994)]

A woman who is hot-tempered, and likewise a man, is easier to guard against than one who is clever and controls her tongue.
[tr. Davie (1996)]

You’re too silent now and whilst it is easy to protect oneself from a hot-headed man or woman, it is impossible to do so when the woman is scheming and silent.
[tr. Theodoridis (2004)]

For a quick-tempered woman -- the same goes for a man --
is easier to guard against than a silent clever one.
[tr. Luschnig (2007)]

Passionate people, women as well as men,
are easier to protect oneself against,
than someone clever who keeps silent.
[tr. Johnston (2008)]

It is easier to guard against a hot-headed woman, or a man, than against one who is scheming and silent.
[ed. Taplin (2016)]

A woman of sharp temper or indeed a man is easier to guard against than one who's clever and stays silent.
[tr. Ewans (2022)]

For a woman with a sharp thūmos, and likewise a man, is easier to guard against than a sophē one who is silent.
[tr. Coleridge / Ceragioli / Nagy / Hour25]

Asimov, Isaac -- Foundation, ch. 2 (1942)

Dave — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 17:11:03 +0000

It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety.

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) Russian-American author, polymath, biochemist
Foundation, ch. 2 (1942)
(Source)

Epigram attributed to Salvor Hardin.

Bowen, Elizabeth -- “Truth and Fiction,” BBC Radio (Oct 1956)

Dave — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 15:06:14 +0000

If a theme or idea is too near the surface, the novel becomes simply a tract illustrating an idea.

Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973) Irish author
“Truth and Fiction,” BBC Radio (Oct 1956)
(Source)

Flaubert, Gustave -- Letter to Louise Colet (9 Dec 1852)

Dave — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 21:21:08 +0000

An author in his book must be like God in the universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere.

Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) French writer, novelist
Letter to Louise Colet (9 Dec 1852)
(Source)

In a later letter to Leoroyer de Chanepie (18 Mar 1857), he repeated the sentiment: "The artist must be in his work as God is in creation, invisible and all-powerful; one must sense him everywhere but never see him."

Brust, Steven -- Tiassa (2011)

Dave — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 21:47:53 +0000

Khaavren stood. “I will go now.”

“If you don’t mind, I shall await you here.”

“Certainly,” said Khaavren, smiling. “That will make it easier for you to look through my files.”

“Now my friend, have you ever known me to do anything so obvious?”

“Never.” Khaavren stood and strode to the door. “Which is exactly what makes it subtle.”

Steven Brust (b. 1955) American writer, systems programmer
Tiassa (2011)

Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld No. 14, Lords and Ladies (1992)

Dave — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 15:18:08 +0000

Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
Elves are marvelous. They cause marvels.
Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies.
Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.
No one ever said elves are nice.
Elves are bad.

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) English author
Discworld No. 14, Lords and Ladies (1992)
(Source)

Joubert, Joseph -- Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 4 “De la Nature des Esprits [On the Nature of Minds],” ¶ 62 (1850 ed.) [tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 3, ¶ 21]

Dave — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:54:40 +0000

Questions show the mind’s range, and answers, its subtlety.

[Les questions montrent l’étendue de l’esprit, et les réponses sa finesse.]

Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French moralist, philosopher, essayist, poet
Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 4 “De la Nature des Esprits [On the Nature of Minds],” ¶ 62 (1850 ed.) [tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 3, ¶ 21]
(Source)

(Source (French))

While confirmed as an entry in the French, I was unable to find translations other than Lyttelton's in my various sources.

Smith, Logan Pearsall -- Afterthoughts, “Arts and Letters” (1931)

Dave — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:36:51 +0000

What I like in a good author isn’t what he says, but what he whispers.

Logan Pearsall Smith (1865-1946) American-English essayist, editor, anthologist
Afterthoughts, “Arts and Letters” (1931)

Signoret, Simone -- Daily Mail (London) (4 Jul 1978)

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

Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. That is what makes a marriage last — more than passion or even sex!

Simone Signoret (1921-1985) German-French actress [b. Simone Kaminker]
Daily Mail (London) (4 Jul 1978)