WIST Quotations

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WIST (“Wish I’d Said That!”) is my collection of quotations (wist.info) which I find meaningful, moving, amusing (intended or not), or well-phrased.

Despite the name, this is not just a collection of quotations whose sentiments I agree with (though that’s true for the majority of stuff I collect). In some cases there are ideas that I disagree with, firmly; in those cases, though, I’ve included the quote because I admire the way it’s phrased, or because it’s a classic statement of a particular sentiment, or else I thought it was so absurd that it made me smile just to read it. In short, "Quoting is not (necessarily) endorsing."

One thing I make an effort to do is research and properly cite each quotation I publish. Further sourcing information (and notes and translations) can be found on the WIST website.

This site will serve as a rich-text social media republishing of new and updated quotations from wist.info (since nobody actually goes to blogs any more). I welcome conversation about the quotes I post.

I was previously cross-posting at wist@my-space.social, WISTquote@zirk.us, and wist@diasp.org. More info on the background of my collection here: wist.info/about-wist/

Additional intro material: friendica.world/display/84b6ef…

Network posts

https://wist.info ✔

WIST Quotations

2 days ago

WIST Quotations
2 days ago

A quotation from Thomas Carlyle

In Books lies the soul of the whole Past Time; the articulate audible voice of the Past, when the body and material substance of it has altogether vanished like a dream. Mighty fleets and armies, harbors and arsenals, vast cities, high-domed, many-engined, — they are precious, great: but what do they become? Agamemnon, the many Agamemnons, Pericleses, and their Greece; all is gone now to some ruined fragments, dumb mournful wrecks and blocks: but the Books of Greece! There Greece, to every thinker, still very literally lives: can be called up again into life. No magic Rune is stranger than a Book. All that Mankind has done, thought, gained or been: it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of Books.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
Lecture (1840-05-19), “The Hero as Man of Letters,” Home House, Portman Square, London

More about this quote:

#books #humanity #reading #quote #heritage #quotes #connection #spirit #qotd #quotation #understanding #past #reliving #thomascarlyle

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WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations 2 days ago •

WIST Quotations
2 days ago