Mark Twain

I repeat, sir, that in whatever position you place a woman she is an ornament to society and a treasure to the world. As a sweetheart, she has few equals and no superiors; as a cousin, she is convenient; as a wealthy grandmother with an incurable distemper, she is precious; as a wet-nurse, she has no equal among men. What, sir, would the people of the earth be without woman? They would be scarce, sir, almighty scarce.

Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like nobody is watching.

To succeed in the other trades, capacity must be shown; in the law, concealment of it will do.

I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.

Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform.

All that appears is devoid of independent existence, just like a magical apparition or a dream.

None of us should be defined by the worst thing we’ve ever done.

Half a man’s wisdom goes with his courage.

It is usually the imagination that is wounded first, rather than the heart; it being much more sensitive.

We women are always in danger of living too exclusively in the affections; and though our affections are perhaps the best gifts we have, we ought also to have our share of the more independent life — some joy in things for their own sake. It is piteous to see the helplessness of some sweet women when their affections are disappointed — because all their teaching has been, that they can only delight in study of any kind for the sake of a personal love. They have never contemplated an independent delight in ideas as an experience which they could confess without being laughed at. Yet surely women need this defense against passionate affliction even more than men.

Knowledge comes by eyes always open and working hands; and there is no knowledge that is not power.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

If it doesn’t matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?

Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.

Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper.

Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

Better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.

Pit race against race, religion against religion, prejudice against prejudice. Divide and conquer! We must not let that happen here.

Play not with paradoxes. That caustic which you handle in order to scorch others may happen to sear your own fingers and make them dead to the quality of things.

The perception of beauty is a moral test.