Mark Twain

Truth is neither alive nor dead; it just aggravates itself all the time.

Never let formal education get in the way of your learning.

But who prays for Satan? Who, in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most?

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.

Happiness ain’t a thing in itself -it’s only a contrast with something that ain’t pleasant. And so, as soon as the novelty is over and the force of the contrast dulled, it ain’t happiness any longer, and you have to get something fresh.

Never tell the truth to people who are not worthy of it.

If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.

Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.

The men of always aren’t interested in the children of never.

It is a most mortifying reflection for a man to consider what he has done, compared to what he might have done.

We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.

Do any of us really have a clue? We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Or what word will come up in a conversation that will change our lives. You can be in the shower and scrubbing under your arm and find a lump that wasn’t there yesterday. I’m doing things here and now. Life is evolving. Every day life evolves.

You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.

This morning I woke with my ear pressed between shoulder blades. Every inhale, every drum, every pump, thump of your heartbeat said one thing – home, home, home.

I don’t like when there’s too much conversation because I’m shy and it makes me uncomfortable.

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice; In practice, there is.

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one’s time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.

Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.

Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use.

Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.