WIST Quotations

Adams, John -- Diary (1772, Spring), “Notes for a Oration at Braintree”

Dave — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:54:20 +0000

But this is an unalterable Truth, that the People can never be enslaved but by their own Tameness, Pusillanimity, Sloth or Corruption. They may be deceived, and their Symplicity, Ignorance, and Docility render them frequently liable to deception. And of this, the aspiring, designing, ambitious few are very sensible. He is the Statesman qualifyed by Nature to scatter Ruin and Destruction in his Path who by deceiving a Nation can render Despotism desirable in their Eyes and make himself popular in Undoing.

John Adams (1735–1826) American lawyer, Founding Father, statesman, US President (1797–1801)
Diary (1772, Spring), “Notes for a Oration at Braintree”
(Source)

Ivins, Molly -- Essay (1973-01), “Pitfalls of Reporting in the Lone Star State,” Houston Journalism Review

Dave — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:09:47 +0000

It’s a damn sight simpler to criticize other people’s ideas than it is to set forth your own. One is never in so much danger of making an ass of one’s self as when one is engaged in saying, “This I believe …”

Molly Ivins (1944-2007) American writer, political columnist [Mary Tyler Ivins]
Essay (1973-01), “Pitfalls of Reporting in the Lone Star State,” Houston Journalism Review
(Source)

Collected in Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? (1991).

Franklin, Benjamin -- Poor Richard (1736 ed.)

Dave — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 14:13:06 +0000

Don’t throw stones at your neighbours, if your own windows are glass.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1736 ed.)
(Source)

See Herbert (1640). Modern variant: "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

McLaughlin, Mignon -- The Neurotic’s Notebook, ch. 1 (1963)

Dave — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 16:26:52 +0000

We lavish on animals the love we are afraid to show to people. People might not return it; or worse, they might.

Mignon McLaughlin (1913-1983) American journalist and author
The Neurotic’s Notebook, ch. 1 (1963)
(Source)

Coffin, William Sloane -- “Spirituality,” sermon, Riverside Church, New York City (1986-10-26)

Dave — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 17:12:44 +0000

Most of the time we aren’t really present one to another, we just bump masks.

William Sloane Coffin, Jr. (1924-2006) American minister, social activist
“Spirituality,” sermon, Riverside Church, New York City (1986-10-26)
(Source)

Sermon on Psalm 46, Galatians 5:16-26.

Like most writers of sermons, Coffin used the phrase on multiple occasions, e.g., in A Passion for the Possible, ch. 6 "Sexism" (1993):

Vulnerability is a great virtue, as Paul realized when he said, "Whenever I am weak, then I am strong." Without it there can be neither honesty nor intimacy. Without vulnerability we don't really meet each other, we just bump masks.

(Referencing 2 Corinthians 12:10.)

Shain, Merle -- Hearts That We Broke Long Ago, ch. 5 (1983)

Dave — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 17:47:40 +0000

Anger is a passion, so it makes people feel alive and makes them feel they matter and are in charge of their lives. So people often need to renew their anger a long time after the cause of it has died, because it is a protection against helplessness and emptiness just like howling in the night. And it makes them feel less vulnerable for a little while.

Merle Shain (1935-1989) Canadian journalist and author
Hearts That We Broke Long Ago, ch. 5 (1983)
(Source)

Hurston, Zora Neale -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 19:06:09 +0000

Love makes you go all in. Love makes you voluntarily stupid. Love robs you of the humor you use to protect yourself and leaves you speechless. Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place. And then it strips you down, and leaves you fully nude for all to see.

Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) American writer, folklorist, anthropologist
(Attributed)

This was originally cited here (without link to a source) as from Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, ch. 13 (1937). Per the comment below, I dug deeper to find an online copy of the book, and discovered the quotation was not there. The closest bits were in the final words of ch. 13:

He drifted off into sleep and Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place.

I cannot find any other citation for it, no work of Hurston that includes it (or any other fractions of it), and only one online book (beyond books of uncited quotations) that includes this full passage (and finishes it off with "... fully nude for all to see, / That's why it's so downright terrifying, / Falsely Yours, Zora Neale Hurston").

Because of that, I am changing the citation to a more ambiguous "(Attributed)". If anyone has more information, I'd be happy to update this entry.

Colton, Charles Caleb -- Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Vol. 1, § 475 (1820)

Dave — Wed, 18 May 2016 14:17:14 +0000

If a cause be good, the most violent attack of its enemies will not injure it so much as an injudicious defense of it by its friends.

Charles Caleb "C. C." Colton (1780-1832) English cleric, writer, aphorist
Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Vol. 1, § 475 (1820)
(Source)

See Nietzsche (1882).

Millay, Edna St. Vincent -- Letter (1927-05-25) to Cora B. Millay

Dave — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:10:45 +0000

A person who publishes a book wilfully appears before the populace with his pants down.

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) American poet
Letter (1927-05-25) to Cora B. Millay
(Source)

Letter to her mother trying to calm Cora's nerves about sister Kathleen's impending first book of poetry. The letter is collected in Letters of Edna St. Vincent Millay (1952) [ed. Allan Ross MacDougall].

This passage is almost universally misquoted as "A person who publishes a book wilfully appears before the public with his pants down" (italics mine).

Another variant appears here. It shortens the first sentence, and then pulls in (and re-genders) two sentences from later in the letter:

A writer appears before the public with his pants down. If it is a good book, nothing can hurt him. If it is a bad book, nothing can help him.

Martin, Steve -- L. A. Story (1991)

Dave — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:02:06 +0000

HARRIS: I’ve been thinking about myself and I think I can become the kind of person that’s worth you staying for. First of all, I’m a man who can cry. Now it’s true, it’s usually when I’ve hurt myself, but it’s a start.

Steve Martin (b. 1945) American comedian, actor, writer, producer, musician
L. A. Story (1991)
(Source)

(Source (video))

Herbert, George -- Jacula Prudentum, or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. (compiler), # 196 (1640 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:13:47 +0000

Whose house is of glasse, must not throw stones at another.

George Herbert (1593-1633) Welsh priest, orator, poet.
Jacula Prudentum, or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. (compiler), # 196 (1640 ed.)
(Source)

Today usually phrased, "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

Roosevelt, Eleanor -- Column (1939-04-01), “My Day”

Dave — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:22:41 +0000

Like everything else in the world, however, there is a price to pay for love, for the more happiness we derive from the existence and companionship of other human beings, the more vulnerable we are when there is any cause for apprehension. It takes courage to love, but pain through love is the purifying fire which those who live generously know. We all know people who are so much afraid of pain that they shut themselves up like clams in a shell and, giving out nothing, receive nothing and therefore shrink until life is a mere living death.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) First Lady of the US (1933–1945), politician, diplomat, activist
Column (1939-04-01), “My Day”
(Source)

Written following the birth of her grandson, John Roosevelt Boettiger.

Lewis, C.S. -- The Four Loves

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

Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up save in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket — safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) English writer, literary scholar, lay theologian [Clive Staples Lewis]
The Four Loves

Wilde, Oscar -- “The Critic as Artist” [Gilbert] (1891)

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

Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Irish poet, wit, dramatist
“The Critic as Artist” [Gilbert] (1891)
(Source)

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Essay (1841), “Friendship,” Essays: First Series, No. 6

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

A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him, I may think aloud.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Essay (1841), “Friendship,” Essays: First Series, No. 6
(Source)