WIST Quotations

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1871-01 (1871 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 23:17:35 +0000

Mankind loves misterys, a hole in the ground excites more wonder than a star up in heaven.

[Mankind loves mysteries; a hole in the ground excites more wonder than a star in the heaven.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1871-01 (1871 ed.)
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Reused in Everybody's Friend, Or; Josh Billing's Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 148 "Affurisms: Ink Brats" (1874):

Mankind loves misterys -- a hole in the ground, excites more wonder than a star in the heavens.

Cleaned up and expanded in Wit and Wisdom of Josh Billings (1913) [ed. H. Montague]:

Mankind in general love MYSTERIES. A hole in the ground generally excites more wonder and stirs up more curiosity than a strange star in the heavens.

Tolkien, J.R.R. -- Letter to Naomi Mitchison (1954-04-25)

Dave — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 05:31:32 +0000

There is of course a clash between ‘literary’ technique, and the fascination of elaborating in detail an imaginary mythical Age (mythical, not allegorical: my mind does not work allegorically). As a story, I think it is good that there should be a lot of things unexplained (especially if an explanation actually exists); and I have perhaps from this point of view erred in trying to explain too much, and give too much past history. Many readers have, for instance, rather stuck at the Council of Elrond. And even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. Tom Bombadil is one (intentionally).

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) English writer, fabulist, philologist, academic [John Ronald Reuel Tolkien]
Letter to Naomi Mitchison (1954-04-25)
(Source)

Letter 144 in Humphrey Carpenter, ed., The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (1981).

Doctor Who (1963) -- 14×05 “The Robots of Death,” Part 1 (1977-01-29) [w. Chris Boucher]

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

LEELA: I know, I know, there’s no such thing as magic.

THE DOCTOR: Exactly! To the rational mind, nothing is inexplicable, only unexplained.

Doctor Who (1963-1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
14×05 “The Robots of Death,” Part 1 (1977-01-29) [w. Chris Boucher]
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