A pedestal is as much a prison as any small space.
—Gloria Steinem (b.1934) American Feminist, Journalist, Social Activist, Political Activist
Every vice is only an exaggeration of a necessary and virtuous function.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Distance has the same effect on the mind as on the eye.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it’s longer than any hour. That’s relativity.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
If you want total security, go to prison. There you’re fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking … is freedom.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision.
—Stevie Wonder (b.1950) American Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Activist
The reverse side also has a reverse side.
—Japanese Proverb
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Innocence most often is a good fortune and not a virtue.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
Some men see things as they are and say, “Why?” I dream things that never were, and say, “Why not?”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
Efficiency is intelligent laziness.
—Anonymous
The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d druther not.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
I am chained to the earth to pay for the freedom of my eyes.
—Antonio Porchia (1885–1968) Italian Poet
All honor’s wounds are self-inflicted.
—Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919) Scottish-American Industrialist
“Only fools have no doubts;” “Are you sure?”; “I have no doubts!”
—Luciano De Crescenzo (b.1928) Italian Writer, Film Actor, Director, Engineer
If one is forever cautious, can one remain a human being?
—Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918–2008) Russian Dissident Novelist
There are truths on this side of the Pyranees, which are falsehoods on the other.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
If a man could have half his wishes, he would double his troubles.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Feast, n. A festival. A religious celebration usually signalized by gluttony and drunkenness, frequently in honor of some holy person distinguished for abstemiousness.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.
—Unknown
No one knows what they’ll do in a moment of crisis and hypothetical questions get hypothetical answers.
—Joan Baez (b.1941) American Singer, Songwriter, Musician
The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but you still have to mow it.
—Unknown
Brute force crushes many plants. Yet the plants rise again. The Pyramids will not last a moment compared with the daisy. And before Buddha or Jesus spoke the nightingale sang, and long after the words of Jesus and Buddha are gone into oblivion the nightingale still will sing. Because it is neither preaching nor commanding nor urging. It is just singing. And in the beginning was not a Word, but a chirrup.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Won’t you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816) Irish-born British Playwright, Poet, Elected Rep
There is but an inch of difference between the cushioned chamber and the padded cell.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Everybody’s talking about people breaking into houses but there are more people in the world who want to break out of houses.
—Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) American Novelist, Playwright
A boil is no big deal. On someone else’s neck.
—Hebrew Proverb
Flowers often grow more beautifully on dung-hills than in gardens that look beautifully kept.
—Francis de Sales (1567–1622) French Catholic Saint
Hay is more acceptable to an ass than gold.
—Latin Proverb
My play was a complete success. The audience was a failure.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Immorality: the morality of those who are having a better time.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
The tyrant dies and his rule is over; the martyr dies and his rule begins.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
Plagiarists, at least, have the merit of preservation.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
The highest virtue here may be least in another world.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
If we escape punishment for our vices, why should we complain if we are not rewarded for our virtues?
—John Churton Collins (1848–1908) English Literary Critic
The enemy of your enemy is your friend.
—Common Proverb
A full heart has room for everything and an empty heart has room for nothing.
—Antonio Porchia (1885–1968) Italian Poet
A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works.
—Burton Hillis (William E. Vaughan) (1915–77) American Columnist, Author
Sometimes the littlest inquiries produce the biggest results.
—Unknown
Addictions do come in handy sometimes: at least you have to get out of bed for them.
—Martin Amis (b.1949) British Novelist, Journalist
All religions issue bibles against him, and say most injurious things about him, but we never hear his side.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
—Common Proverb
Make voyages. Attempt them. There’s nothing else.
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
With most men, unbelief in one thing springs from blind belief in another.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
Saint, n. A dead sinner revised and edited.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
I’m afraid that if you look at a thing long enough, it loses all of its meaning.
—Andy Warhol (1928–87) American Painter, Printmaker, Film Personality
The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more chance you have of getting somewhere.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson