Famous Quotes by Mark Twain

 
One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives. humor
One of the proofs of the immortality of the soul is that myriads have believed in it. They have also believed the world was flat. humor
Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. humor
Prosperity is the best protector of principle. humor
Put all your eggs in the one basket and -- WATCH THAT BASKET. humor
She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the kind of person that keeps a parrot. humor
The New York papers have long known that no large question is ever really settled until I have been consulted. humor
The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up. attitude
The cat, having sat upon a hot stove lid, will not sit upon a hot stove lid again. But he won't sit upon a cold stove lid, either. humor
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. education
The first half of life consists of the capacity to enjoy without the chance; the last half consists of the chance without the capacity. humor
The highest perfection of politeness is only a beautiful edifice, built, from the base to the dome, of ungraceful and gilded forms of charitable and unselfish lying. life
The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money. humor
The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter. life
The man who is a pessimist before 48 knows too much; if he is an optimist after it, he knows too little. life
The man with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds. success
The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are in the right. humor
The public is the only critic whose opinion is worth anything at all. success
The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them. success
The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause. success
The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain't so. humor
The very ink in which history is written is merely fluid prejudice. education
The way it is now, the asylums can hold the sane people but if we tried to shut up the insane we would run out of building materials. humor
There are people who can do all fine and heroic things but one: keep from telling their happiness to the unhappy. life
There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it, and when he can. humor
There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy's life that he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure. life
There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist, except an old optimist. humor
There is no security in life, only opportunity. life
There is no such thing as "the Queen's English." The property has gone into the hands of a joint stock company and we own the bulk of the shares! humor
There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact. humor