WIST Quotations

Chamfort, Nicolas -- Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionnée], Part 2 “Characters and Anecdotes [Caractères et Anecdotes],” ch. 5 (frag. 863) (1795) [tr. Dusinberre (1992)]

Dave — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 15:58:30 +0000

You should swallow a toad every morning, when going out into high society, so as to encounter nothing more disgusting during the day.

[Faudrait avaler un crapaud tous les matins, pour ne trouver plus rien de dégoûtant le reste de la journée, quand on devait la passer dans le monde.]

Nicolas Chamfort (1741-1794) French writer, epigrammist (b. Nicolas-Sébastien Roch)
Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionnée], Part 2 “Characters and Anecdotes [Caractères et Anecdotes],” ch. 5 (frag. 863) (1795) [tr. Dusinberre (1992)]
(Source)

Though usually attributed directly to Chamfort, he credits the phrase to a M. de Lassay.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

It would be necessary to swallow a toad every morning, in order not to find anything disgusting the rest of the day, when one has to spend it in the world.
[tr. Matthews (1877)]

One must swallow a toad every morning, when one has to go out in the world, so as not to find anything more disgusting during the day.
[tr. Merwin (1969)]

Swallow a toad in the morning and you will encounter nothing more disgusting the rest of the day.
[Source]

Mencken, H. L. -- A Little Book in C Major, ch. 3, § 11 (1916)

Dave — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 16:33:27 +0000

The majority always has its way in the end. So does the undertaker. But neither gains in pleasantness by the fact.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
A Little Book in C Major, ch. 3, § 11 (1916)
(Source)

Maclaren, Alexander -- The Secret of Power: And Other Sermons, Sermon 15 “Moses and Hobab” (1902)

Dave — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 19:26:45 +0000

Our blunders mostly come from letting our wishes interpret our duties, or hide from us plain indications of unwelcome tasks.

Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) Scots-English minister, homilist
The Secret of Power: And Other Sermons, Sermon 15 “Moses and Hobab” (1902)
(Source)

Carriger, Gail -- Heartless (2011)

Dave — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 00:56:24 +0000

As with most things in life, Lady Maccon preferred the civilized exterior to the dark underbelly (with the exception of pork products, of course).

Gail Carriger (b. 1976) American archaeologist, author [pen name of Tofa Borregaard]
Heartless (2011)

Canning, George -- “New Morality,” Anti-Jacobin (9 Jul 1798)

Dave — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 13:59:38 +0000

Give me the avow’d, the erect, the manly foe,
Bold I can meet — perhaps may turn his blow;
But of all plagues, good Heaven, thy wrath can send,
Save, save, oh! save me from the Candid Friend!

George Canning (1770-1827) British stateman, politician, Prime Minister
“New Morality,” Anti-Jacobin (9 Jul 1798)

Merton, Thomas -- The Seven Storey Mountain (1948)

Dave — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 19:05:01 +0000

The more you try to avoid suffering, the more you suffer, because smaller and more insignificant things begin to torture you, in proportion to your fear of being hurt. The one who does most to avoid suffering is, in the end, the one who suffers most.

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) French-American religious and writer [a.k.a. Fr. M. Louis]
The Seven Storey Mountain (1948)

Adams, Douglas -- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Phase 1, “Fit the 1st” (BBC Radio) (1978-03-08)

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

FORD: And you’d better be prepared for the jump into hyperspace. It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.

ARTHUR: Well what’s so unpleasant about being drunk?

FORD: You ask a glass of water.

Douglas Adams (1952-2001) English author, humorist, screenwriter
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Phase 1, “Fit the 1st” (BBC Radio) (1978-03-08)
(Source)

This was adapted into the novelization, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, ch. 6 (1979), in close to the same language:

"No, don't move," he added as Arthur began to uncurl himself, "you'd better be prepared for the jump into hyperspace. It's unpleasantly like being drunk."
"What's so unpleasant about being drunk?"
"You ask a glass of water."