WIST Quotations

Young, Nedrick -- Inherit the Wind, film (1960) [with Harold Jacob Smith]

Dave — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 17:10:41 +0000

DRUMMOND: As long as the prerequisite for that shining paradise is ignorance, bigotry and hate, I say to hell with it.

Nedrick Young (1914–1968) American screenwriter and actor [pseud. Nathan E. Douglas]
Inherit the Wind, film (1960) [with Harold Jacob Smith]

The original 1951 play was written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, but does not include this line, delivered in the film by Spencer Tracy. Young and Smith share the screenwriting credits.

Gracián, Baltasar -- The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 286 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]

Dave — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 16:16:56 +0000

Freedom is more precious than any gifts for which you may be tempted to give it up.

[Más preciosa es la libertad que la dádiva, porque se pierde.]

Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601–1658) Spanish Jesuit priest, writer, philosopher
The Art of Worldly Wisdom [Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia], § 286 (1647) [tr. Jacobs (1892)]

(Source (Spanish)). Other translations:

Liberty is more precious than all gifts: and to receive, is to lose it.
[Flesher ed. (1685)]

>br?

Independence is more precious, than any gift for which you might forfeit it.
[tr. Fischer (1937)]

Freedom is more precious then the gift that makes us lose it.
[tr. Maurer (1992)]

Hofstadter, Richard -- Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, Part 1, ch. 2 “On the Unpopularity of Intellect” (1962)

Dave — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 15:52:11 +0000

Intellect needs to be understood not as some kind of a claim against the other human excellences for which a fatally high price has to be paid, but rather as a complement to them without which they cannot be fully consummated.

Richard Hofstadter (1916–1970) American historian and intellectual
Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, Part 1, ch. 2 “On the Unpopularity of Intellect” (1962)

Roux, Joseph -- Meditations of a Parish Priest: Thoughts, ch. 4, #38 (1886)

Dave — Mon, 09 May 2016 15:20:19 +0000

How many sacrifice honor, a necessity, to glory, a luxury?

Joseph Roux (1834–1886) French Catholic priest
Meditations of a Parish Priest: Thoughts, ch. 4, #38 (1886)

Doctorow, Cory -- Little Brother (2008)

Dave — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 13:26:35 +0000

Trading privacy for security is stupid enough; not getting any actual security in the bargain is even more stupid.

Cory Doctorow (b. 1971) Canadian-British blogger, journalist, activist, author
Little Brother (2008)

Howell, James -- Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “New Sayings,” 3rd Century (1659)

Dave — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:55:38 +0000

Necessity never made good bargain.

James Howell (c. 1594–1666) Welsh historian, writer, aphorist
Paroimiographia [Παροιμιογραφία]: Proverbs, or, Old Sayed Sawes & Adages, “New Sayings,” 3rd Century (1659)

See Franklin (1735).

Aesop -- Fables [Aesopica], “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” (6th C BC) [tr. Jacobs (1894)]

Dave — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:05:36 +0000

Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.

Aesop (620?-560? BC) Legendary Greek storyteller
Fables [Aesopica], “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” (6th C BC) [tr. Jacobs (1894)]

Other translations:

"The Difference betwixt a Court and a Country Life. The Delights, Innocence, and Security of the One, Compar'd with the Anxiety, the Lewdness, and the Hazards of the Other." [tr. L'Estrange (1692)]
"Give me my barley-bread in peace and security before the daintiest feast where Fear and Care are in waiting." [tr. James (1848)]
"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety."

Compare to Proverbs 17:1 "Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife."

Eisenhower, Dwight David -- Speech (1953-04-16), “The Chance for Peace,” American Society of Newspaper Editors, Hotel Statler, New York City

Dave — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:07:45 +0000

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.
The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway. We pay for a single fighter with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.
This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890–1969) American general, US President (1953–61)
Speech (1953-04-16), “The Chance for Peace,” American Society of Newspaper Editors, Hotel Statler, New York City

Describing the cost of the Cold War. Also known as the "Cross of Iron" speech, it was delivered shortly into his presidency and just after Stalin's death.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Journal (1842-10)

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

You shall have joy, or you shall have power, said God; you shall not have both.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1842-10)

Franklin, Benjamin -- Letter (1755-11-11) to Royal Governor Robert Hunter Morris, from the Pennsylvania Assembly

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

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Letter (1755-11-11) to Royal Governor Robert Hunter Morris, from the Pennsylvania Assembly

Also given as, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" (cited in the Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759)).

The actual "Reply to the Governor" letter, a response to Morris' rejection of the Assembly's proposals for frontier defense, was written by a committee of which Franklin was a member. He is usually credited as largely being the author, and he used this phrase subsequent to this.