Samuel Butler

An apology for the devil: it must be remembered that we have heard one side of the case. God has written all the books.

There is but one step from the Academy to the Fad.

For truth is precious and divine, too rich a pearl for carnal swine.

Justice is my being allowed to do whatever I like. Injustice is whatever prevents my doing so.

Christ and The Church: If he were to apply for a divorce on the grounds of cruelty, adultery and desertion, he would probably get one.

For every why he had a wherefore.

We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible.

Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment.

There is only one duty, only one safe course, and that is to try to be right.

Though analogy is often misleading, it is the least misleading thing we have.

Self-trust is the essence of heroism.

You. too, can determine what you want. You can decide on your major objectives, targets, aims, and destination.

To act from pure benevolence is not possible for finite human beings, Human benevolence is mingled with vanity, interest, or some other motive.

Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

There is no sincerer love than the love of food.

Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises.

It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.

Perhaps the most delightful friendships are those in which there is much agreement, much disputation, and yet more personal liking.

Think with your whole body.

Worth seeing? Yes; but not worth going to see.

To him whom contemplates a trait of natural beauty, no harm nor despair can come. The doctrines of despair, spiritual or political servitude, were never taught by those who shared the serenity of Nature. For each phase of Nature, though not invisible, is yet not too distinct or obtrusive. It is there to be found when we look for it, but not too demanding of our attention.