Samuel Butler

Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat until he eats them.

It is our less conscious thoughts and our less conscious actions which mainly mould our lives and the lives of those who spring from us.

A man’s friendships are, like his will, invalidated by marriage – but they are also no less invalidated by the marriage of his friends.

Christ: I dislike him very much. Still, I can stand him. What I cannot stand is the wretched band of people whose profession is to hoodwink us about him.

I do not mind lying, but I hate inaccuracy.

Such as take lodgings in a head that’s to be let unfurnished.

There is properly no history; only biography.

To find yourself, think for yourself.

Nothing is pleasant that is not spiced with variety.

When you ascend the hill of prosperity, may you not meet a friend.

The tallest trees are most in the power of the winds, and ambitious men of the blasts of fortune.

To arrive at a just estimate of a renowned man’s character one must judge it by the standards of his time, not ours.

When the eye is not set on one leaf and you face the tree with nothing in mind, any number of leaves are visible to the eye.

Give me health and a day, and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous.

Every hero becomes a bore at last.

Death comes to all, but great achievements build a monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold.

Of all God’s creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with a cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.

Every old poem is sacred.

Them meaning of good and bad, of better and worse, is simply helping or hurting.

Virtue is insufficient temptation.

Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.