Mark Twain

In statesmanship get the formalities right, never mind about the moralities.

All schools, all colleges, have two great functions: to confer, and to conceal, valuable knowledge. The theological knowledge which they conceal cannot justly be regarded as less valuable than that which they reveal. That is, when a man is buying a basket of strawberries it can profit him to know that the bottom half of it is rotten.

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.

A wise man does not waste so good a commodity as lying for naught.

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.

Peace by persuasion has a pleasant sound, but I think we should not be able to work it. We should have to tame the human race first, and history seems to show that that cannot be done.

Whenever you think it’s the end, it’s probably just the start of something else.

The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends.

There is no man living who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can do.

That dog don’t hunt.

If I only had a little humility, I’d be perfect.

A man must live like a great brilliant flame and burn as brightly as he can. In the end he burns out. But this is far better than a mean little flame.

Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.

Be bad, but at least don’t be a liar, a deceiver!

Truth over Harmony.

You are only as happy as your saddest child.

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

You have to be odd to be number one.

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.

Good breeding consists in concealing how much we think of ourselves and how little we think of the other person.

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face.