E. W. Howe (1853–1937,) fully Edgar Watson Howe, was an American novelist, essayist, and editor. Known for his iconoclasm and cynicism, he wrote realistic regional and romantic novels and coined widely circulated aphorisms.
Born in Treaty, Indiana, Howe started working on his father’s homestead in Missouri at age seven. He acquired much of his education while learning and practicing the printer’s trade, eventually becoming a journalist. He was editor and proprietor of The Daily Globe of Atchison, Kansas, 1877–1911, and later of E.W. Howe’s Monthly 1911–37. The latter was well-known for his aphoristic editorials.
Howe’s most famous novel, The Story of a Country Town (1883,) is a harshly realistic tale of the narrow life of Midwestern small-town life. Later Howe turned from realism to romance and wrote The Mystery of the Locks (1885) and The Moonlight Boy (1886,) which were less successful.
Known as “the Sage of Potato Hill,” Howe won celebrity as a commonsense coiner of shrewd and disillusioned aphorisms and observations. A character in The Story of a Country Town remarks, “A man with a brain large enough to understand mankind, is always wretched, and ashamed of himself.” One of Howe’s great admirers was the journalist and literary critic H. L. Mencken, who also wrote cynical aphorisms.
Howe’s other works include The Confession of John Whitlock (1891,) Country Town Savings (1911,) Ventures in Common Sense (1919,) The Anthology of Another Town (1920,) and Plain People (1929.) His autobiography is The Indignations of E.W. Howe (1933.)
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Common sense is compelled to make its way without the enthusiasm of anyone; all admit it grudgingly.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Common Sense
A whipping never hurts so much as the thought that you are being whipped.
—E. W. Howe
It may be a cold, clammy thing to say, but those that treat friendship the same as any other selfishness seem to get the most out of it.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Friends and Friendship
No man’s credit is as good as his money.
—E. W. Howe
Most of us are either too thin to enjoy eating, or too fat to enjoy walking.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Eating
Every successful man I have heard of has done the best he could with conditions as he found them…
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Success, Success & Failure
Living up to ideals is like doing everyday work with your Sunday clothes on.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Perfection, Ideals
Instead of loving your enemies, treat your friends a little better.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Friends and Friendship, Enemies, Friendship
A thief believes everybody steals.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Crime
If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you grow old.
—E. W. Howe
A good scare is worth more to a man than good advice.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Advice, Fear, Adversity, Difficulties, Anxiety
Half the unhappiness in the world is due to the failure of plans which were never reasonable, and often impossible.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Realistic Expectations
What people say behind your back is your standing in the community.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Reputation, Character
The average man’s judgment is so poor, he runs a risk every time he uses it.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Judgment
I do not love my neighbor as myself, and apologize to no one.
—E. W. Howe
The little trouble in the world that is not due to love is due to friendship.
—E. W. Howe
No man’s credit is ever as good as his money.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Money
If a woman doesn’t chase a man a little, she doesn’t love him.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Love
A modest man is usually admired, if people ever hear of him.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Humility
Many people would be more truthful were it not for their uncontrollable desire to talk.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Truth
Even if a farmer intends to loaf, he gets up in time to get an early start.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Punctuality, Morning
Don’t abuse your friends and expect them to consider it criticism.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Friendship
To be an ideal guest, stay at home.
—E. W. Howe
A theory is no more like a fact than a photograph is like a person.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Theory
We must be truthful and fair in the ordinary affairs of life before we can be truthful and fair in patriotism and religion.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Truth
The real tragedy of life is not being limited to one talent, but in failing to use that one talent.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Appreciation, Gratitude, Blessings
You can make up a quarrel, but it will always show where it was patched.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Forgiveness
Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Worry
A man should be taller, older, heavier, uglier, and hoarser than his wife.
—E. W. Howe
Families with babies and families without babies are sorry for each other.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Family, Children, Babies
There is nothing so well known as that we should not expect something for nothing—but we all do and call it Hope.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Hope
To avoid mistakes and regrets, always consult your wife before engaging in a flirtation.
—E. W. Howe
The most destructive criticism is indifference.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Boredom
One of the surprising things in this world is the respect a worthless man has for himself.
—E. W. Howe
People are always neglecting something they can do in trying to do something they can’t do.
—E. W. Howe
Half the promises people say were never kept, were never made.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Promises
The feeling of sleepiness when you are not in bed, and can’t get there, is the meanest feeling in the world.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Sleep
When a friend is in trouble, don’t annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.
—E. W. Howe
Topics: Friendship
If you attend to your work, and let your enemy alone, someone else will come along some day, and do him up for you.
—E. W. Howe
When I am idle and shiftless, my affairs become confused; when I work, I get results… not great results, but enough to encourage me.
—E. W. Howe
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