I tell you Wellington is a bad general, the English are bad soldiers; we will settle this matter by lunch time.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Whenever you argue with another wiser than yourself in order that others may admire your wisdom, they will discover your ignorance.
—Sa’Di (Musharrif Od-Din Muslih Od-Din) (c.1213–91) Persian Poet
Nothing is more certain than that much of the force as well as grace of arguments, as well as of instructions, depends on their conciseness.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Argument is conclusive… but… it does not remove doubt, so that the mind may rest in the sure knowledge of the truth, unless it finds it by the method of experiment. For if any man who never saw fire proved by satisfactory arguments that fire burns. his hearer’s mind would never be satisfied, nor would he avoid the fire until he put his hand in it that he might learn by experiment what argument taught.
—Roger Bacon (1214–94) English Philosopher, Scientist
People who know the least always argue the most.
—Unknown
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The most important thing in an argument, next to being right, is to leave an escape hatch for your opponent, so that he can gracefully swing over to your side without too much apparent loss of face.
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
There is no arguing with him, for if his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
It takes two to quarrel, but only one to end it.
—Spanish Proverb
Men’s arguments often prove nothing but their wishes.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Argument, again, is the death of conversation, if carried on in a spirit of hostility.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
A long dispute means that both parties are wrong.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Arguments are like fire-arms which a man may keep at home but should not carry about with him.
—Samuel Butler
There is no good in arguing with the inevitable. The only argument available with an east wind is to put on your overcoat.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
Testimony is like an arrow shot from a long bow; its force depends on the strength of the hand that draws it.—But argument is like an arrow from a cross bow, which has equal force if drawn by a child or a man.
—Robert Boyle (1627–91) Anglo-Irish Philosopher, Writer
Rebuke with soft words and hard arguments.
—Common Proverb
The soundest argument will produce no more conviction in an empty head than the most superficial declamation; a feather and a guinea fall with equal velocity in a vacuum.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
But curb thou the high spirit in thy breast, for gentle ways are best, and keep aloof from sharp contentions.
—Homer (751–651 BCE) Ancient Greek Poet
It was completely fruitless to quarrel with the world, whereas the quarrel with oneself was occasionally fruitful and always, she had to admit, interesting.
—May Sarton (1912–95) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Novelist
When much dispute has past, we find our tenets just the same as last.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
There’s nothing I like less than bad arguments for a view I hold dear.
—Daniel C. Dennett (b.1942) American Philosopher, Atheist, Author
Skepticism, as I said, is not intellectual only; it is moral also; a chronic atrophy and disease of the whole soul. A man lives by believing something; not by debating and arguing about many things. A sad case for him when all that he can manage to believe is something he can button in his pocket, and with one or the other organ eat and digest! Lower than that he will not get.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
There is no point in arguing about matters of taste.
—Unknown
It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
Heat and animosity, contest and conflict, may sharpen the wits, although they rarely do; they never strengthen the understanding, clear the perspicacity, guide the judgment, or improve the heart.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
When you have no basis for an argument, abuse the plaintiff.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
If you argue with a woman and win, you lose.
—Unknown
I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always vulgar, and often convincing.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
In a false quarrel there is no true valor.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The argument of the strongest is always the best.
—Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95) French Poet, Short Story Writer
In argument similes are like songs in love; they describe much, but prove nothing.
—Matthew Prior (1664–1721) English Poet, Diplomat
If I were to deliver up my whole self to the arbitrament of special pleaders, today I might be argued into an atheist, and tomorrow into a pickpocket.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is not hungry always gets the best of the argument.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
The most agreeable thing in life is worthy accomplishment. It is not possible that the idle tramp is as contented as the farmers along the road who own their own farms, and whose credit is good at the bank in town. When the tramps get together at night, they abuse the farmers, but do not get as much satisfaction out of it as do the farmers who abuse the tramps. The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
When a man argues for victory and not for truth, he is sure of just one ally, that is the devil.—Not the defeat of the intellect, but the acceptance of the heart is the only true object in fighting with the sword of the spirit.
—George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish Novelist, Lecturer, Poet
Quarrels would not last so long if the fault lay only on one side.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
I had a lover’s quarrel with the world.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Quarrels often arise in marriages when the bridal gifts are excessive.
—Ausonius (c.309–392 CE) Latin Poet, Rhetorician
Arguments out of a pretty mouth are unanswerable.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
An ill argument introduced with deference will procure more credit than the profoundest science with a rough, insolent, and noisy management.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
True disputants are like true sportsman: their whole delight is in the pursuit.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
When worthy men fall out, only one of them may be faulty at first; but if the strife continue long, both commonly become guilty.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Men argue, nature acts.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Neither irony or sarcasm is argument.
—Samuel Butler
Behind every argument is someone’s ignorance.
—Louis Brandeis (1856–1941) American Jurist
Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
One often contradicts an opinion when what is uncongenial is really the tone in which it was conveyed.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
In the course of my observation, the disputing, contradicting and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory sometimes, but they never get good will, which would be of more use to them.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
An association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which has never yet existed, from the greatest confederacy of nations down to a town meeting or a vestry.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer