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Inspirational Quotations

by RightAttitudes.com

Inspirational Quotes by Mark Twain (American Humorist)

Inspirational Quotations by Mark Twain (American Humorist)

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835–1910) was an American novelist and humorist. He took his nom de plume Mark Twain after the sounding calls of steamboatmen on the Mississippi River, on the banks of which he was brought up. The pseudonym is believed to have been a river navigation phrase meaning “two fathoms deep.”

Born in Florida, Missouri, Twain studied up to fifth grade and quit school when his father died. He supported his family first as a typesetter and later as a riverboat captain until the Civil War broke out in 1861. He then headed west, worked as a miner, and eventually became a journalist.

By 1866, Twain had gained national fame as a humorist and travel writer. He traveled to the Mediterranean and the Holy Land and subsequently published a comic account of his voyages and his American fellow-travelers, The Innocents Abroad (1869.)

Twain is much celebrated for three novels that are often used as academic texts, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876,) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885,) and Pudd’nhead Wilson (1894,) all of which give a vivid evocation of frontier life in the Mississippi valley. Twain’s writings are characterized by his natural wit, social criticism, and a keen understanding of human nature. He toured widely as a renowned public speaker and continued to write until his death of a heart attack.

Twain’s later books, such as The Mysterious Stranger (1916,) are often satirical and cynical, possibly in reaction to the conservative social milieu of his wife. He spent his last years dictating his autobiography—which had been the subject of many of his writing.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Mark Twain

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Inspirational Quotes by Mark Twain (American Humorist)

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.
—Mark Twain

One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Honesty, Lies, Deception/Lying

Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Work

As to the Adjective: when in doubt, strike it out.
—Mark Twain

There is no character, howsoever good and fine, but it can be destroyed by ridicule, howsoever poor and witless. Observe the ass, for instance: his character is about perfect, he is the choicest spirit among all the humbler animals, yet see what ridicule has brought him to. Instead of feeling complimented when we are called an ass, we are left in doubt.
—Mark Twain

Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest.
—Mark Twain

One mustn’t criticize other people on grounds where he can’t stand perpendicular himself.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Criticism

Each person is born to one possession which outvalues all his others — his last breath.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Life, Death

Tell the truth or trump — but get the trick.
—Mark Twain

Praise is well, compliment is well, but affection-that is the last and most precious reward that any man can win, whether by character or achievement.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Love

We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it—and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again – and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.
—Mark Twain

A man never reaches that dizzy height of wisdom that he can no longer be lead by the nose.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Wisdom

Truth is the most valuable thing we have, so I try to conserve it.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Honesty

Go to bed early, get up early—this is wise.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Relaxation, Sleep

Even popularity can be overdone. In Rome, along at first, you are full of regrets that Michelangelo dies; but by and by, you only regret that you didn’t see him do it.
—Mark Twain

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Honesty

All say, “How hard it is that we have to die” — a strange complaint to come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Live, Dying, People, Death

It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Character, Honor

A joke, even if it be a lame one, is nowhere so keenly relished or quickly applauded as in a murder trial.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Trials, Justice, Jokes

Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Caution, Money, Success, Wealth

Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Emotions

Grief can take care of itself; but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Happiness, Friendship

It isn’t safe to sit in judgment upon another person’s illusion when you are not on the inside. While you are thinking it is a dream, he may be knowing it is a planet.
—Mark Twain

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Role models, People, Discouragement, Feelings, Greatness, Try, Encouragement, Doing Your Best, Ambition, Mentoring

On with the dance, let joy be unconfined is my motto, whether there’s a dance to dance or any joy to unconfine.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Dance

Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Success & Failure, Fools, Success

Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Correction, Habit, Reform, Hypocrisy

Even the clearest and most perfect circumstantial evidence is likely to be at fault, after all, and therefore ought to be received with great caution. Take the case of any pencil, sharpened by any woman: if you have witness, you will find she did it with a knife; but if you take simply the aspect of the pencil, you will say she did it with her teeth.
—Mark Twain

Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Smile, Smiling, Age

The people of those foreign countries are very, very ignorant. They looked curiously at the costumes we had brought from the wilds of America. They observed that we talked loudly at table sometimes. They noticed that we looked out for expenses and got what we conveniently could out of a franc, and wondered where in the mischief we came from. In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
—Mark Twain

When we remember that we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.
—Mark Twain

In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.
—Mark Twain

Lord save us all from… a hope tree that has lost the faculty of putting out blossoms.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Aspirations, Hope

By his father he is English, by his mother he is Americanto my mind the blend which makes the perfect man.
—Mark Twain

Temper is what gets most of us into trouble. Pride is what keeps us there.
—Mark Twain

Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Virtue, Character, Excellence, Goodness, Action, Kindness

There are three infallible ways of pleasing an author, and the three form a rising scale of compliment: 1 — to tell him you have read one of his books; 2 — to tell him you have read all of his books; 3 — to ask him to let you read the manuscript of his forthcoming book. No. 1 admits you to his respect; No. 2 admits you to his admiration; No. 3 carries you clear into his heart.
—Mark Twain

Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
—Mark Twain

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.
—Mark Twain
Topics: Experience

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.
—Mark Twain

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