WIST Quotations

Beecher, Lyman -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:27:16 +0000

Never chase a lie. Let it alone, and it will run itself to death.

Lyman Beecher (1775-1863) American minister, preacher, abolitionist
(Attributed)

Where cited, it is usually to "Naval Journal (March 1848)," and in fact it does appear in The Sailor's Magazine and Naval Journal, Vol. 20, No. 7 (1848-03), but only as column filler, clearly not its original source. Such filler was sold to magazines and newspapers to fill out unused column space.

Nor is that the earliest appearance. Identically or very similarly formatted and attributed copies can be found in The New Jersey Freeman, Vol. 3, No. 5 (1848-02-05); the Ohio Cultivator, Vol. 3, No. 24 (1847-12-15); The Youth's Companion, Vol. 21, No. 30 (1847-11-25); the Boston Advent Herald, Vol. 14 (1847-11-13); the Christian Watchman, Vol. 28, No. 40 (1847-10-01).

I cannot find an original source for Beecher saying or writing this.

The quote (including its following "I can work out a good character much faster than any one can lie me out of it") can be found in other, slightly later, sources without attribution to Beecher (e.g., 1853, 1856). The Book of Thought (1858) attributes it to [Bishop George?] Berkeley.

A similar aphorism appears around the same time, unattributed, in Bronson, Elocution; or, Mental and Vocal Philosophy (1845) ("Never chase a lie; for if you keep quiet, truth will eventually overtake it") and in the American Agriculturalist, Vol. 11, No. 18 (1853-12-07) ("Never chase a lie; for if you be quiet, truth will eventually overtake it and destroy it").

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 2, ch. 18 (2.18), “Of Giving the Lie [Du Démentir]” (1578–79) [tr. Ives (1925)]

Dave — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 21:51:02 +0000

Lying is a villainous vice, and an ancient writer depicts it as most shameful when he says that to lie is to manifest contempt of God together with fear of man. It is not possible to represent more fully the horror, the vileness, the outrageousness of it. For what can be conceived more villainous than to be cowardly with respect to men, and audacious with respect to God?

[C’est un vilain vice, que le mentir; & qu’un ancien peint bien honteusement, quand il dit, que c’est donner tesmoignage de mespriser Dieu, & quand & quand de craindre les hommes. Il n’est pas possible d’en representer plus richement l’horreur, la vilité & le desreiglement: Car que peut on imaginer plus vilain, que d’estre couart à l’endroit des hommes, & brave à l’endroit de Dieu?]

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 2, ch. 18 (2.18), “Of Giving the Lie [Du Démentir]” (1578–79) [tr. Ives (1925)]
(Source)

This essay (and passage) appeared in the 1st (1580) edition, and was expanded in each succeeding edition.

The ancient writer mentioned is Plutarch in his Life of Lysander.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

To ly is a horrible-filthy vice; and which an auncient writer setteth forth very shamefully, when he saith, that whosoever lieth, witnesseth that he contemneth God and therewithal feareth men. It is impossible more richly to represent the horrour, the vilenesse and the disorder of it: For, What can be imagined so vile, and base, as to be a coward towardes men, and a boaster towardes God?
[tr. Florio (1603)]

Lying is a base vice; a vice that one of the ancients paints in the most odious colours when he says, "That it is too manifest a contempt of God, and a fear of man." It is not possible more copiously to represent the horror, baseness, and irregularity of it; for what can be imagined more vile, than a man, who is a coward towards man, so courageous as to defy his Maker?
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

Lying is a base vice; a vice that one of the ancients portrays in the most odious colors when he says, “that it is to manifest a contempt of God, and withal a fear of men.” It is not possible more fully to represent the horror, baseness, and irregularity of it; for what can a man imagine more hateful and contemptible than to be a coward toward men, and valiant against his Maker?
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

Lying is a base vice, and painted in its most shameful colours by one of the ancients, who says that to lie is to give proof that you despise god and at the same time are afraid of men. It is impossible to state its horror, its vileness, and its outrageousness more felicitously. For what baser thing can we imagine than to be a coward toward men and act the brave fellow toward God?
[tr. Zeitlin (1934)]

Lying is an ugly vice, which an ancient paints in most shameful colors when he says that it is giving evidence of contempt for God, and at the same time of fear of men. It is not possible to represent more vividly the horror, the vileness, and the profligacy of it. For what can you imagine uglier than being a coward toward men and bold toward God?
[tr. Frame (1943)]

Lying is a villein's vice, a vice which an Ancient paints full shamefully when he says that it gives testimony to contempt for God together with fear of men. It is not possible to show more richly the horror of it, its vileness and its disorderliness. For what can one imagine more serf-like than to be cowardly before men and defiant towards God?
[tr. Screech (1987)]

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 2, ch. 18 (2.18), “Of Giving the Lie [Du Démentir]” (1578–79) [tr. Screech (1987)]

Dave — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 05:00:22 +0000

The first sign of corrupt morals is the banishing of truth.

[Le premier traict de la corruption des mœurs, c’est le bannissement de la verité]

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 2, ch. 18 (2.18), “Of Giving the Lie [Du Démentir]” (1578–79) [tr. Screech (1987)]
(Source)

This essay (and this passage) appeared in the 1st (1580) edition, and was expanded in each succeeding edition.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

The first part of customs-corruption, is the banishment of truth.
[tr. Florio (1603)]

The first step to the corruption of manners is banishing of truth.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

The first thing done in the corruption of manners is banishing truth.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

The first feature of corruption of morals is the banishment of truth.
[tr. Ives (1925)]

The first feature in the corruption of morals is the banishment of truth.
[tr. Zeitlin (1934)]

The first stage in the corruption of morals is the banishment of truth.
[tr. Frame (1943)]

Mencken, H. L. -- A Book of Burlesques, “The Jazz Webster” (1924)

Dave — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 17:05:18 +0000

PLATITUDE. An idea (a) that is admitted to be true by everyone, and (b) that is not true.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
A Book of Burlesques, “The Jazz Webster” (1924)
(Source)

See his definition of "epigram."

Variant:

Platitude — An idea (a) that is admitted to be true by everyone, and (b) that is not true.
[Chrestomathy, ch. 30 "Sententiae" (1949)]

Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Sr. -- Article (1858-04), “Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table,” Atlantic Monthly

Dave — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:54:41 +0000

Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fit them all.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809-1894) American poet, essayist, scholar
Article (1858-04), “Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table,” Atlantic Monthly
(Source)

Collected in The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table, ch. 6 (1858).

Hitler, Adolph -- Mein Kampf [My Struggle], Vol. 1, ch. 10 (1925)

Dave — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 22:39:12 +0000

It would never come into their [the masses’] heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying.

Adolph Hitler (1889-1945) German leader
Mein Kampf [My Struggle], Vol. 1, ch. 10 (1925)

Carlyle, Thomas -- Journal (1870-06-23)

Dave — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:03:04 +0000

The beginning of all is to have done with Falsity — to eschew Falsity as Death Eternal.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
Journal (1870-06-23)
(Source)

Plutarch -- Parallel Lives, “Lysander” [tr. Leman (1688)]

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

He who cheats with an oath acknowledges that he is afraid of his enemy, but that he also thinks little of God.

[ὁ γὰρ ὅρκῳ παρακρουόμενος τὸν μὲν ἐχθρὸν ὁμολογεῖ δεδιέναι, τοῦ δὲ θεοῦ καταφρονεῖν.]

Plutarch (AD 46-127) Greek historian, biographer, essayist [Mestrius Plutarchos]
Parallel Lives, “Lysander” [tr. Leman (1688)]
(Source)

(Source (Greek))

Criticizing the Spartan leader's use of oathbreaking to gain advantage over his enemies.

See Montaigne (1578).

Carlyle, Thomas -- Speech (1866-04-02), “On the Choice of Books,” Inaugural Address as Lord Rector, University of Edinburgh

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

For if a good speaker — an eloquent speaker — is not speaking the truth, is there a more horrid kind of object in creation?

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
Speech (1866-04-02), “On the Choice of Books,” Inaugural Address as Lord Rector, University of Edinburgh
(Source)

Often rendered: "Can there be a more horrible object in existence than an eloquent man not speaking the truth?"

Regarding oration/declamation as an academic subject, and deemphasizing the importance of how something is said than what is being said.

See also Euripides (405 BC), Publilius Syrus (c. 40 BC).