WIST Quotations

McGinley, Phyllis -- “Moody Reflections,” The New Yorker (13 Feb 1954)

Dave — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 18:08:14 +0000

When blithe to argument I come,
Though armed with facts, and merry,
May Providence protect me from
The fool as adversary,
Whose mind to him a kingdom is
Where reason lacks dominion,
Who calls conviction prejudice
And prejudice opinion.

Phyllis McGinley (1905-1978) American author, poet
“Moody Reflections,” The New Yorker (13 Feb 1954)
(Source)

Plutarch -- Moralia, Vol. 10 “Precepts of Statecraft” (13) [tr. Helmbold (1936)]

Dave — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 03:40:15 +0000

Base and absurd requests he should reject, not harshly but gently, informing the askers by way of consolation that the requests are not in accord with their own excellence and reputation.

Plutarch (AD 46-127) Greek historian, biographer, essayist [Mestrius Plutarchos]
Moralia, Vol. 10 “Precepts of Statecraft” (13) [tr. Helmbold (1936)]

Johnson, Samuel -- (Spurious)

Dave — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 16:24:25 +0000

Prejudice, not being founded on reason, cannot be removed by argument.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
(Spurious)
(Source)

Frequently attributed without citation, and not found in Johnson's works. However, the phrase can be found in other contexts:

"This objection on the score of color is founded upon prejudice, and hence cannot be removed by argument, for prejudice is blind and listens not to reason." -- Rep. Godlove S. Orth of Indiana, speech before the House of Representatives (5 Apr 1869) on the question of admitting the Dominican Republic as a US territory.
"This persuasion of the power of the priest is, as we have said, a traditional prejudice; it is not founded on any reasons or proofs addressed to the understanding, and therefore it cannot be removed by argument." -- John Eliot Howard, The Island of the Saints (1855), quoting from the Achill Herald (Jun 1855).

Heywood, John -- Proverbes, Part 2, ch. 9 (1546)

Dave — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:39:45 +0000

Would yee both eat your cake, and have your cake?

John Heywood (1497?-1580?) English playwright and epigrammist
Proverbes, Part 2, ch. 9 (1546)
(Source)