Touchstone Quotes

• The impromptu reply is precisely the touchstone of the man of wit.

  

  Moliere
  • Wit
  • Reply
  • Touchstone

• The question of art songs always came up with Gastr del Sol. I think Jim O'Rourke had it right in being clear that there's a tradition of art song - Ives being the touchstone for the two of us - and what we do doesn't belong to it. It wasn't important to advance those kinds of distinctions, but clearly he thought it was fanciful for anyone to speak of what we were doing as being in that tradition.

  

  David Grubbs
  • Important
  • Question
  • Tradition

• Every man carries about him a touchstone, if he will make use of it, to distinguish substantial gold from superficial glitterings, truth from appearances. And indeed the use and benefit of this touchstone, which is natural reason, is spoiled and lost only by assuming prejudices, overweening presumption, and narrowing our minds.

  

  John Locke Nazareth
  • Prejudices
  • Appearances
  • Touchstone

• As the touchstone tries gold, so gold tries men.

  

  Chilon of Sparta
  • Men
  • Gold
  • Touchstone

• Chess is the touchstone of intellect.

  

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
  • Chess
  • Intellect
  • Touchstone

• If I know what something's about, and I can always have that touchstone, I feel like I can reach for really ridiculous humor and also go really dark in terms of the things I'm afraid of.

  

  Scott Snyder
  • Humor
  • Afraid
  • Touchstone

• The true touchstone of wit is the impromptu.

  

  Moliere
  • True
  • Touchstone
  • Impromptu