Mary Wilson Little

Here is a refined and SEO-friendly article about Mary Wilson Little — a lesser-known American writer whose witty and aphoristic voice survives primarily through quotations and a few published works.

Mary Wilson Little – Life, Voice, and Memorable Sayings

Explore the life, writings, and memorable quotes of Mary Wilson Little, an American writer known for her sharp wit, insightful aphorisms, and the children’s work Little, Little Uncle Tom (1914).

Introduction

Mary Wilson Little was an American author and writer whose legacy rests more in pithy observations and short prose than in voluminous works. Though little is known about her personal life, her words continue to circulate in quotation collections, admired for their wit, moral turn, and playful insight. She also published at least one children’s book, Little, Little Uncle Tom (1914). Her work reflects a sensibility rooted in early 20th-century America—observant, ironic, and attuned to human contradictions.

Biographical Sketch & Context

Because Mary Wilson Little is not a major literary figure, details about her life remain scant in standard literary histories. What is known is drawn from archival quotations and occasional references:

• She published Little, Little Uncle Tom in 1914; this is often cited as her principal book.

• Some online sources suggest she may have used the name Mrs. C. P. Wilson in relation to that work.

• Her writing appears to align with American humor, social commentary, and a tradition of epigrammatic prose—writing that captures a sharp observation in a compact form.

Because of the gaps, her life remains more of a silhouette behind her words.

Style, Themes & Literary Significance

Aphorisms and Observational Wit

Little’s enduring presence is in her short, pointed statements—aphorisms that expose everyday absurdities, moral paradoxes, or human folly. Her style lends itself to quotation: brief, punchy, and often paradoxical. Many of her sayings appear in quotation websites and compilations, though original sources can be elusive.

Moral and Social Commentary

Though playful in tone, many of her statements carry moral weight or social critique. For instance:

“If the pen is mightier than the sword, why are not editors paid more than major-generals?”

“Politeness may be nothing but veneering, but a veneered slab has the advantage of being without splinters.”

These lines suggest she observed the institutions of society—power, manners, profession—and turned them with irony.

Children’s Writing & Legacy Work

Her 1914 Little, Little Uncle Tom suggests she also engaged with children’s literature or perhaps moral stories. This work is less cited and less accessible, but it indicates she did more than aphoristic writing.

Her contributions likely fall into a tradition of early 20th-century women writers whose short writings, sketches, and social commentary circulated in periodicals, talk, and quotation culture.

Selected Quotes by Mary Wilson Little

Here are some of the better-known quotations attributed to Mary Wilson Little, which reflect her style and range:

“Politeness is only one half good manners and the other half good lying.”

“There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do — and not doing it.”

“The tombstone is about the only thing that can stand upright and lie on its face at the same time.”

“He who devotes sixteen hours a day to hard study may become as wise at sixty as he thought himself at twenty.”

“A youth with his first cigar makes himself sick; a youth with his first girl makes other people sick.”

“If the pen is mightier than the sword, why are not editors paid more than major-generals?”

“Politeness may be nothing but veneering, but a veneered slab has the advantage of being without splinters.”

“When the unpaid grocer comes in at the door romance flies out of the window.”

These expressions give us glimpses of her observational sensibility—her eye for irony in manners, work, human relations, and social customs.

Lessons & Reflections

Though Mary Wilson Little is not widely known today, her work suggests a few enduring takeaways:

1. Brevity can carry weight.
   A short line, when sharp and well turned, can outlast longer prose in cultural memory.

2. Observation is a craft.
   Her sentences show how everyday life—manners, professions, social expectations—can become material for reflection.

3. Voice persists beyond visibility.
   Even when biographical details vanish, a writer’s voice, distilled into quotable form, can endure across time.

4. Humor and critique complement each other.
   Her style often blends playfulness with moral or social edge.

5. Every writer can contribute in small but significant ways.
   Not all legacies are grand; sometimes small, sharp voices are what future readers preserve.