"Little Breeches", Pike County Ballads and Other Pieces (1873).
“It is better to have loafed and lost, than never to have loafed at all.”
James Thurber (1894–1961) American cartoonist, author, journalist, playwright
"The Courtship of Arthur and Al", The New Yorker (26 August 1939); Fables for Our Time & Famous Poems Illustrated (1940). Parody of Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Better to have loved and lost/than never to have loved at all."
From Fables for Our Time and Further Fables for Our Time
“1781. Half a Loaf is better than no Bread.”
Thomas Fuller (writer) (1654–1734) British physician, preacher, and intellectual
Introductio ad prudentiam: Part II (1727), Gnomologia (1732)
Elon Musk (1971) South African-born American entrepreneur
Conversation: Elon Musk on Wired Science (2007)
James Russell Lowell (1819–1891) American poet, critic, editor, and diplomat
Literary Essays, vol. II (1870–1890), New England Two Centuries Ago
“Better too much spade work than too little! This work saves blood.”
Erwin Rommel (1891–1944) German field marshal of World War II
Lieber zuviel als zu wenig Spatengebrauch! Diese Arbeit spart Blut.
Source: Infanterie greift an (1937), p. 28.
William Law (1686–1761) English cleric, nonjuror and theological writer
The Power of the Spirit (1898), edited by Andrew Murray, further edited by Dave Hunt (1971) Ch. 6 : The Church : A Habitation of the Spirit.
Julian of Norwich (1342–1416) English theologian and anchoress
The Fifth Revelation, Chapter 13
Context: In God there may be no wrath, as to my sight: for our good Lord endlessly hath regard to His own worship and to the profit of all that shall be saved. With might and right He withstandeth the Reproved, the which of malice and wickedness busy them to contrive and to do against God’s will. Also I saw our Lord scorn his malice and set at nought his unmight; and He willeth that we do so. For this sight I laughed mightily, and that made them to laugh that were about me, and their laughing was a pleasure to me.
Christian Scriver (1629–1693) German hymnwriter
Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 50.
