# Wisecracks or Sayings that Improve your Day **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [November 3, 2025, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisecracks-or-sayings-that-improve-your-day/1024543 "2025-11-03T21:27:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisecracks-or-sayings-that-improve-your-day/1024543/21 "2025-11-09T21:01:44Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > A fellow politician remarked that he didn’t know if Wilkes would meet his end at the gallows or dying of pox (syphilis), he responded by saying “that will depend on whether I embrace your morals or your mistress” The exchange was between [John Montagu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Montagu,_4th_Earl_of_Sandwich), 4th Earl of Sandwich and actor [Samuel Foote](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Foote). > [@](#): > > Sandwich: _“Foote, I have often wondered what catastrophe would bring you to your end; but I think, that you must either die of the pox, or the halter.”_ > > Foote: _“My lord,that will depend upon one of two contingencies; – whether I embrace your lordship’s mistress, or your lordship’s principles.”_ ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisecracks-or-sayings-that-improve-your-day/1024543/22 "2025-11-09T21:18:40Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > There has long been a 180° site of [Demotivators](https://despair.com/collections/demotivators) And the site has long been a personal favourite. **Agony** : _Not all pain is gain._ ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisecracks-or-sayings-that-improve-your-day/1024543/23 "2025-11-09T22:44:39Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > The exchange was between [John Montagu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Montagu,_4th_Earl_of_Sandwich), 4th Earl of Sandwich and actor [Samuel Foote](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Foote). Seems like there’s some debate but the Foote version predates the Wilkes version… > **[Quote Origin: You Shall Either Die Upon the Gallows or of the Pox – Quote...](https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/01/26/gallows-pox/)** I’ll be sure to be ‘that guy’ and point that out to the podcast 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisecracks-or-sayings-that-improve-your-day/1024543/24 "2025-11-10T02:36:37Z")
It must be late in the day when Dwarfs cast such long shadows. (This was the entire content of a book review by Italian-American mathematician Gian-Carlo Rota, but the general idea goes back further.) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisecracks-or-sayings-that-improve-your-day/1024543/25 "2025-11-10T21:40:40Z")
Here’s something that I have occasionally been able to repurpose. FE Smith was a barrister, politician and, apparently, Winston Churchill’s best friend ([cite](https://winstonchurchill.org/publications/finest-hour/finest-hour-139/cover-story-the-friendship-between-churchill-and-f-e-smith-2/)). During his time as a barrister an occasion arose where he was obliged to explain a very complex point of law to the presiding judge. Judge: I’ve listened to you for an hour and I’m none wiser. Smith: None the wiser, perhaps, my lord but certainly better informed. (IIRC this anecdote was first published after Smith’s death; so maybe a pinch of salt, eh?) j [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisecracks-or-sayings-that-improve-your-day/1024543.md?page=1)