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Stevenson, Adlai -- Speech (1954-03-22), “The Educated Citizen,” Senior Class Banquet, Dillon Gymnasium, Princeton University

https://wist.info/stevenson-adlai-ewing/86383/

Published: October 10, 2026 05:06

The conformists abominate thought. Thinking implies disagreement and disagreement implies non-conformity and non-conformity implies heresy and heresy implies disloyalty. So obviously thinking must be stopped. This is the routine. But I say to you that…

Goldsmith, Oliver -- Poem (1770), “The Deserted Village,” l. 97ff

https://wist.info/goldsmith-oliver/86381/

Published: October 9, 2026 22:56

O blest retirement! friend to life’s decline, Retreats from care that never must be mine. How blest is he who crowns in shades like these, A youth of labour with an age of ease.

Twain, Mark -- Novel (1889), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Part 3 “The Tale of the Lost Land,” ch. 18 “In the Queen’s Dungeons”

https://wist.info/twain-mark/86379/

Published: October 9, 2026 22:44

We must have a religion — it goes without saying — but my idea is, to have it cut up into forty free sects, so that they will police each other, as had been the case in the United States in my time. Concentration of power in a political machine is bad; and…

Stevenson, Robert Louis -- Novel (1886), Kidnapped, ch. 16 “The Lad with the Silver Button: Across Morven”

https://wist.info/stevenson-robert-louis/86377/

Published: October 9, 2026 18:34

The inn at Kinlochaline was the most beggarly vile place that ever pigs were styed in, full of smoke, vermin, and silent Highlanders. This chapter was originally published in Young Folks Paper, Vol. 28, No. 811 (1886-06-12).

Doyle, Arthur Conan -- Story (1891-09), “A Case of Identity” [Holmes], The Strand Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 3

https://wist.info/doyle-arthur-conan/86371/

Published: October 8, 2026 22:10

This is the Dundas separation case, and, as it happens, I was engaged in clearing up some small points in connection with it. The husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the conduct complained of was that he had drifted into the habit of…

Greenwood, Kerry -- Phryne Fisher, Book 20, Murder and Mendelssohn, ch. 7 (2013)

https://wist.info/greenwood-kerry/86365/

Published: October 8, 2026 19:01

“I have never had scripture explained to me by a naked woman before,” said John, somewhat startled. “All the better to concentrate your attention,” said Phryne, reaching down and taking a handful of his attention and squeezing gently.

Roosevelt, Theodore -- Autobiography, ch. 9 “Outdoors and Indoors” (1913)

https://wist.info/roosevelt-theodore/86362/

Published: October 8, 2026 18:47

And as for a life deliberately devoted to pleasure as an end — why, the greatest happiness is the happiness that comes as a by-product of striving to do what must be done, even though sorrow is met in the doing. See Johnson (1753).

Carlyle, Thomas -- Letter (1843-03-13), “Letter to a Young Man”

https://wist.info/carlyle-thomas/86360/

Published: October 8, 2026 18:37

Neither let mistakes and wrong directions — of which every man, in his studies and elsewhere, falls into many — discourage you. There is precious instruction to be got by finding that we are wrong. Let a man try faithfully, manfully, to be right, he will…

Doctor Who (1963) -- 19×01 “Castrovalva,” Part 3 (1982-01-11) [w. Christopher H. Bidmead]

https://wist.info/doctor-who-1963/86356/

Published: October 8, 2026 17:47

THE DOCTOR: Which is the quickest way out of here? (Each of the women at the fountain point in different directions.) THE DOCTOR: Yes, well, that’s democracy for you. Come on. (Source (Video); dialogue confirmed)

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings’ Farmer’s Allminax, 1879-07 “Questions And Replize” (1879 ed.)

https://wist.info/billings-josh/86353/

Published: October 8, 2026 16:58

An Enthuziast iz a party who beleaves about 4 times az mutch az he kan prove, and who kan prove about 4 times az mutch az ennyboddy else beleaves. [An Enthusiast is a party who believes about 4 times a smuch as he can prove, and who can prove about 4 times…

Hemingway, Ernest -- Essay (1935-09), “Notes on the Next War,” Esquire, Vol. 4, No. 3

https://wist.info/hemingway-ernest/86350/

Published: October 8, 2026 16:37

War is made or planned now by individual men, demagogues and dictators who play on the patriotism of their people to mislead them into a belief in the great fallacy of war when all their vaunted reforms have failed to satisfy the people they misrule. See…

Franklin, Benjamin -- Poor Richard Improved (1749 ed.)

https://wist.info/franklin-benjamin/86345/

Published: October 8, 2026 16:26

Words may shew a man’s Wit, but Actions his Meaning. See Euripides (424 BC).

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 3, ch. 13 (3.13), “Of Experience [De l’Experience]” (1588) [tr. Screech (1987)]

https://wist.info/montaigne-michel-de/86341/

Published: October 8, 2026 16:13

Kings and philosophers shit; and so do ladies. [Les rois et les philosophes fientent, et les dames aussi.] First appeared in the 2nd (1588) edition. Because of the earthy nature of this paragraph (this and its following text), some translators (e.g., Ives…

Frankfurter, Felix -- Pennekamp v. Florida, 328 U.S. 331, 350–351 (1946) [concurring]

https://wist.info/frankfurter-felix/86335/

Published: October 7, 2026 19:56

This Court sits to interpret, in appropriate judicial controversies, a Constitution which, in its Bill of Rights, formulates the conditions of a democracy. But democracy is the least static form of society. Its basis is reason, not authority. Formulas…

Russell, Bertrand -- Education and the Social Order [Education and the Modern World], ch. 2 “The Negative Theory of Education” (1932)

https://wist.info/russell-bertrand/86330/

Published: October 7, 2026 17:53

A life of uncertainty is nervously exhausting at all times, but especially in youth. On the need in child-rearing of providing some level of day-to-day routine.

Ivins, Molly -- Essay (1995-03-01), “Needed: One Strong Stomach,” The Progressive, Vol. 59, No. 3

https://wist.info/ivins-molly/86328/

Published: October 7, 2026 16:16

Ah, my friends, rejoice. These are frabjous days. Our nation survived eight years of Ronald Reagan as President. We can survive this, too. We can even laugh. All it takes is a strong stomach. At the time she was writing of enduring Newt Gingrich leading…

Watterson, Bill -- Calvin and Hobbes (1986-08-30)

https://wist.info/watterson-bill/86323/

Published: October 6, 2026 23:50

CALVIN: Your polls are slipping Dad. Better get with it. CALVIN’S DAD: Calvin, being your dad is not an elected position. I don’t have to respond to polls. CALVIN: Not elected? You mean you can govern with dictatorial impunity? CALVIN’S DAD: Exactly.…

Bierce, Ambrose -- “Foresight,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1884-12-13)

https://wist.info/bierce-ambrose/86321/

Published: October 6, 2026 23:00

FORESIGHT, n. That peculiar and valuable faculty that enables a politician always to know that his party is going to succeed — as distinguished from Retrospect, which sometimes shows him that it got calamitously beaten. Not collected in later books.

Heinlein, Robert A. -- Story (1949-12), “Gulf” [Baldwin], Astounding Science Fiction, Vol. 44, No. 4

https://wist.info/heinlein-robert-a/86317/

Published: October 6, 2026 19:41

Reason is poor propaganda when opposed by the yammering, unceasing lies of shrewd and evil and self-serving men. The little man has no way to judge and the shoddy lies are more attractively packaged. Collected in Assignment in Eternity (1953).

Euripides -- Alcestis [Ἄλκηστις ], l. 56ff (438 BC) [tr. Aldington (1930)]

https://wist.info/euripides/86314/

Published: October 6, 2026 19:21

APOLLO: If she dies old, the burial will be richer. DEATH: Phoebus, that argument favours the rich. APOLLO: What! Are you witty unawares? DEATH: The rich would gladly pay to die old. [ἈΠΌΛΛΩΝ: κἂν γραῦς ὄληται, πλουσίως ταφήσεται. ΘΆΝΑΤΟΣ: πρὸς τῶν…

Roosevelt, Eleanor -- Memoir (1949), This I Remember, ch. 20 “The Last Term: 1944–1945”

https://wist.info/roosevelt-eleanor/86312/

Published: October 6, 2026 17:00

All human beings have failings, all human beings have needs and temptations and stresses. Men and women who live together through long years get to know one another’s failings; but they also come to know what is worthy of respect and admiration in those…

Bible, Vol. 1. Old Testament -- Book 22a. Wisdom (Wisdom of Solomon) 5: 8ff (Wis 5:8–9) [tr. CEB (2011)]

https://wist.info/bible-ot/86310/

Published: October 6, 2026 16:35

What good did our pride do us? What good were our wealth and pretension? These things have all passed away like a shadow. They’re gone like old news. [τί ὠφέλησεν ἡμᾶς ἡ ὑπερηφανία; καὶ τί πλοῦτος μετὰ ἀλαζονείας συμβέβληται ἡμῖν; παρῆλθεν ἐκεῖνα πάντα ὡς…

Kerr, Jean -- Essay (1970 ca.), “I Saw Mommy Kicking Santa Claus,” Penny Candy

https://wist.info/kerr-jean/86306/

Published: October 5, 2026 19:48

Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if some manufacturer would make a toy as tough, as staunch, as hard to crack open as the carton it comes in! Originally published in McCall’s Magazine, but I cannot pin down the issue; possibly Vol. 95, No. 3 (1967-12).

Steele, Richard -- Letter (1713) to William Pulteney, Dedication of Volume 2 of The Guardian

https://wist.info/steele-richard/86303/

Published: October 5, 2026 18:55

Zeal for the public good is the characteristic of a man of honour, and a gentleman, and must take place of pleasures, profits, and all other private gratifications. Whoever wants this motive is an open enemy, or an inglorious neuter to mankind, in…

Propertius -- Elegies, Book 3, Elegy 13, l. 47ff (3.13.47–50) [tr. Moore (1870), 4.13]

https://wist.info/propertius/86301/

Published: October 5, 2026 18:33

But now the gods are spurn’d, their altars cold, All reverence forgot in thirst of gold: Gold buys the judge, and honour yields to pelf, Shame weeps o’er Justice dead, then dies herself. [At nunc desertis cessant sacraria lucis: aurum omnes victa iam…

White, T. H. -- The Once and Future King, Part 2, ch. 3 [Merlyn] (1939)

https://wist.info/white-th/86299/

Published: October 5, 2026 17:05

I never could stomach those nationalists. The destiny of Man is to unite, not to divide. If you keep on dividing you end up as a collection of monkeys throwing nuts at each other out of separate trees.

Shakespeare, William -- Julius Caesar, Act 1, sc. 2, l. 209ff (1.2.209–220) (1599)

https://wist.info/shakespeare-william/86297/

Published: October 5, 2026 16:51

CAESAR: Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much, He is a great observer, and he looks Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays, As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music;…