Monday, September 14, 2009

Mark Twain Quotes


Ran across these at Refspace, and picked out a few choice numbers that caught my attention. Click the linked text to see the whole collection. There are 3 pages, and its worth the scroll. Folks who know me will recognize some of these as I use them often -- see further, the Wagner comment:

History does not repeat itself, but it rhymes.

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.

If voting made any difference they wouldn't let us do it.

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.

A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain.

Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.

In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination.

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.

Wagner's music is better than it sounds.

In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated, and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.

Enjoy wisdom from the past,

Bp

[image via Wiki Commons]

4 comments:

Dale said...

I love these. "Wagner's music is better than it sounds" is one I use frequently with my wife and son to bring them around to giving a fresh chance to a film or piece of music. It doesn't necessarily work but it's still a great line.

Thanks!

Bpaul said...

I had to spend a lot of time paring down the ones I excerpted for my post. I like most of them, so it was a chore.

Glad you enjoyed them sir,

Bp

girl cousins said...

all so timely, and timeless, I suppose. great reference too, you River to your People.

Anonymous said...

There's another of his I like:

"It is better to remain silent and appear the fool than open one's mouth and remove all doubt."