Frank Moore Colby (1865–1925) was an American encyclopedia editor and essayist. He also contributed to many magazines, including The Bookman, The New Republic, and Vanity Fair, and his witty essays were widely read.
Born in Washington, D. C., Colby graduated from Columbia University in 1888. He taught history at Amherst College in 1890–91 and Columbia and Barnard College 1891–95. He also taught economics at New York University 1895–1900.
Colby held a lifelong career writing for encyclopedias, serving as the editor of the International Year Book 1898–1925. He also edited New International Encyclopedia (1900–03) and led its second edition (1913–15.)
Clarence Day, Jr. edited the Colby Essays (1926.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Frank Moore Colby
Averageness is a quality we must put up with. Men march toward civilization in column formation, and by the time the van has learned to admire the masters the rear is drawing reluctantly away from the totem pole.
—Frank Moore Colby
Topics: Mediocrity
Persecution was at least a sign of personal interest. Tolerance is composed of nine parts of apathy to one of brotherly love.
—Frank Moore Colby
Topics: Tolerance
Every improvement in communication makes the bore more terrible.
—Frank Moore Colby
Topics: Communication
One learns little more about a man from his feats of literary memory than from the feats of his alimentary canal.
—Frank Moore Colby
Topics: Literature, Books
The New York playgoer is a child of nature, and he has an honest and wholesome regard of whatever is atrocious in art.
—Frank Moore Colby
I have found some of the best reasons I ever had for remaining at the bottom simply by looking at the men at the top.
—Frank Moore Colby
Topics: Integrity
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Booker T. Washington African-American Educationist
Horace Mann American Educator
Anne Sullivan Macy American Educator
Mortimer J. Adler American Philosopher, Educator
Robert H. Shaffer American Educator
Laurence J. Peter Canadian-born American Educator
E. Merrill Root American Educator
Henry Steele Commager American Historian
Marva Collins American Educator
Theodore Hesburgh American Catholic Educator