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Perhaps that’s what we all had to do — think out for ourselves what we could believe and how we could live by it. And so I came to the conclusion that you had to use this life to develop the very best that you could develop.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) First Lady of the US (1933–1945), politician, diplomat, activist
Essay (1951-12), “This I Believe: Growth that Starts from Thinking,” on Edward R. Murrow, This I Believe, CBS Radio

More about this quote: wist.info/roosevelt-eleanor/82…

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Roosevelt, Eleanor - Essay (1951-12), "This I Believe: Growth that Starts from Thinking," on Edward R. Murrow, This I Believe, CBS Radio | WIST Quotations

Perhaps that’s what we all had to do -- think out for ourselves what we could believe and how we could live by it. And so I came to the conclusion that you had to use this life to develop the very best that you could develop. (Source (Audio); start…

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WIST Quotations Feb 14

A quotation from La Rochefoucauld

We try to make virtues of the faults we do not wish to correct.

[Nous essayons de nous faire honneur des défauts que nous ne voulons pas corriger.]

François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble
Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶442 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/la-rochefoucauld-fra…

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La Rochefoucauld, Francois - Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶442 (1665-1678) [tr. Kronenberger (1959)] | WIST Quotations

We try to make virtues of the faults we do not wish to correct. [Nous essayons de nous faire honneur des défauts que nous ne voulons pas corriger.] First appeared in the 5th (1678) edition. (Source (French)). Other translations: We attempt to Vindicate, and value our selves upon those Faults…

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WIST Quotations Feb 9

A quotation from Henry Commager

The point is that when a nation silences criticism and dissent, it deprives itself of the power to correct its errors. The process of silencing need not be as savage as in Nazi Germany or in South Africa today; it is enough that an atmosphere be created where men prefer silence to protest. As has been observed of book-burning, it is not necessary to burn books, it is enough to discourage men from writing them.

Henry Steele Commager (1902-1998) American historian, writer, activist
Essay (1965-12-18), “The Problem of Dissent,” Saturday Review

More about this quote: wist.info/commager-henry-steel…

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Commager, Henry Steele - Essay (1965-12-18), "The Problem of Dissent," Saturday Review | WIST Quotations

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WIST Quotations Jan 17

A quotation from Samuel Johnson

Even the acquisition of knowledge is often much facilitated by the advantages of society: he that never compares his notions with those of others, readily acquiesces in his first thoughts, and very seldom discovers the objections which may be raised against his opinions; he, therefore, often thinks himself in possession of truth, when he is only fondling an errour long since exploded. He that has neither companions nor rivals in his studies, will always applaud his own progress, and think highly of his performances, because he knows not that others have equalled or excelled him. And I am afraid it may be added, that the student who withdraws himself from the world, will soon feel that ardour extinguished which praise or emulation had enkindled, and take the advantage of secrecy to sleep, rather than to labour.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
Essay (1754-01-19), The Adventurer, No. 126

More about this quote: wist.info/johnson-samuel/81496…

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Johnson, Samuel - Essay (1754-01-19), The Adventurer, No. 126 | WIST Quotations

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WIST Quotations Has Moved!Dec 11

A quotation from Cicero

All men make mistakes; but it is fools who persist in them.

[Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Philippics [Philippicae; Antonian Orations], No. 12, ch. 2 / sec. 5 (12.2/12.5) (43-03 BC) [tr. @sentantiq (2012)]

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Wisdom in Space Dec 11

The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.
-- Alexis de Tocqueville

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WIST Quotations Has Moved!Oct 23

A quotation from La Rochefoucauld

Fortunate people seldom mend their ways, for when good luck crowns their misdeeds with success they think it is because they are right.

[Les gens heureux ne se corrigent guère; ils croient toujours avoir raison quand la fortune soutient leur mauvaise conduite.]

More info about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/la-rochefoucauld-fra…

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Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims], ¶227 (1665-1678) [tr. Tancock (1959)] - La Rochefoucauld, Francois | WIST Quotations

Fortunate people seldom mend their ways, for when good luck crowns their misdeeds with success they think it is because they are right. [Les gens heureux ne se corrigent guère; ils croient toujours avoir raison quand la fortune soutient leur mauvaise conduite.] First appeared in the 5th Edition (1678). (Source…

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WIST Quotations Has Moved!Oct 3

A quotation from Horace

He who puts off the hour to begin living rightly
Is like the yokel who stands at the stream with a sigh:
“I can’t get across. I’ll wait here till it runs dry.”
Meanwhile, it flows, forever flows on and rolls by.

[Qui recte vivendi prorogat horam,
rusticus exspectat dum defluat amnis; at ille
labitur et labitur in omne volubilis aevum.]

Horace (65-8 BC) Roman poet, satirist, soldier, politician [Quintus Horatius Flaccus]
Epistles [Epistularum, Letters], Book 1, ep. 2 “To Lollius,” l. 41ff (1.2.41-42) (20 BC) [tr. Palmer Bovie (1959)]

More info about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/horace/79480/

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Epistles [Epistularum, Letters], Book 1, ep. 2 "To Lollius," l. 41ff (1.2.41-42) (20 BC) [tr. Palmer Bovie (1959)] - Horace | WIST Quotations

He who puts off the hour to begin living rightly Is like the yokel who stands at the stream with a sigh: "I can't get across. I'll wait here till it runs dry." Meanwhile, it flows, forever flows on and rolls by. [Qui recte vivendi prorogat horam, rusticus exspectat dum…

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WIST Quotations Has Moved!Sep 10, 2025

A quotation from Thomas Fuller

Thou never wast so good as thou shouldest be; if thou does not strive to be better. And thou never wilt be better, if thou doest not fear to grow worse.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 2092 (1727)

More info about this quote: wist.info/fuller-thomas-1654/7…

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