Mark Twain

Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are economical in its use.

I must have a prodigious quantity of mind; it takes me as much as a week sometimes to make it up.

Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.

It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.

Of the delights of this world, man cares most for sexual intercourse. He will go to any length for it-risk fortune, character, reputation, life itself.

Monarchies, aristocracies, and religions are all based upon that large defect in your race – the individual’s distrust of his neighbor, and his desire, for safety’s or comfort’s sake, to stand well in his neighbor’s eye. These institutions will always remain, and always flourish, and always oppress you, affront you, and degrade you, because you will always be and remain slaves of minorities. There was never a country where the majority of the people were in their secret hearts loyal to any of these institutions.

God enters by a private door into every individual.

We may not pay Satan reverence, for that would be indiscreet, but we can at least respect his talents.

Usually the modest person passes for someone reserved, the silent for a sullen person.

All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.

The laws of each are convertible into the laws of any other.

There are no conditions to which a person cannot grow accustomed, especially if he sees that everyone around him lives in the same way.

Fatigue makes cowards of us all.

Most men would feel insulted if it were proposed to employ them in throwing stones over a wall, and then in throwing them back, merely that they might earn their wages. But many are no more worthily employed now.

The men who have furnished me with my greatest inspiration have not been men of wealth, but men of deeds.

The intellectual man requires a fine bait; the sots are easily amused. But everybody is drugged with his own frenzy, and the pageant marches at all hours, with music and banner and badge.

What is peculiar in the life of a man consists not in his obedience, but his opposition, to his instincts. In one direction or another he strives to live a supernatural life.

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

I really do not see much use in exalting the humble and meek; they do not remain humble and meek long when they are exalted.

Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: “I’m with you kid. Let’s go.”

A man may be so much of everything that he is nothing of anything.