Life is a quarry, out of which we are to mold and chisel and complete a character. — Samuel Butler Character Copy Share Image
The man who takes time to explain his mistakes has little time left for anything else — Samuel Butler Failure Copy Share Image
Most people have never learned that one of the main aims in life is to enjoy it. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
Evil is like water, it abounds, is cheap, soon fouls, but runs itself clear of taint. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
Parents are the last people on earth who ought to have children. — Samuel Butler Child Copy Share Image
The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing should be taken too seriously — Samuel Butler Conviction Copy Share Image
There are more fools than knaves in the world, else the knaves would not have enough to live upon. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
Life is like playing a violin in public and learning the instrument as one goes on — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
I fall asleep in the full and certain hope That my slumber shall not be broken; And that, though I be all-forgetting,… — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
The human intellect owes its superiority over that of the lower animals in great measure to the stimulus which alcohol has given… — Samuel Butler Alcohol Copy Share Image
Inspiration is never genuine if it is known as inspiration at the time. True inspiration always steals on a person; its importance… — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
If God wants us to do a thing, he should make his wishes sufficiently clear. Sensible people will wait till he has… — Samuel Butler Attention Copy Share Image
A man's friendships are, like his will, invalidated by marriage - but they are also no less invalidated by the marriage of… — Samuel Butler Friendship Copy Share Image
“He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still Which he may adhere to, yet disown, For reasons to… — Samuel Butler Disown Copy Share Image
Morality is the custom of one's country and the current feeling of one's peers. Cannibalism is moral in a cannibal country. — Samuel Butler Cannibalism Copy Share Image
In practice it is seldom very hard to do one's duty when one knows what it is, but it is sometimes extremely… — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
If life must not be taken too seriously, then so neither must death. — Samuel Butler Death Copy Share Image
The three most important things a man has are, briefly, his private parts, his money, and his religious opinions. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
Human life is as evanescent as the morning dew or a flash of lightning. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
There is nothing which at once affects a man so much and so little as his own death. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable. — Samuel Butler Amiable Copy Share Image
Whatsoever we perpetrate, we do but row; we are steered by fate. — Samuel Butler Destiny Copy Share Image
“Boys and young men are violent in their affections, but they are seldom very constant;” — Samuel Butler Love Copy Share Image
People in general are equally horrified at hearing the Christian religion doubted, and at seeing it practiced. — Samuel Butler Christian Copy Share Image
“tailor, if he did not drink and attended to his business, could earn more money than a clerk” — Samuel Butler Business Copy Share Image
Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat until he eats them. — Samuel Butler Animal Copy Share Image
The Bible may be the truth, but it is not the whole truth and nothing but the truth. — Samuel Butler Bible Copy Share Image
It is death, and not what comes after death, that men are generally afraid of. — Samuel Butler After death Copy Share Image
If the headache would only precede the intoxication, alcoholism would be a virtue. — Samuel Butler Alcoholism Copy Share Image
“Peter remained on friendly terms with Christ notwithstanding Christ's having healed his mother-in-law.” — Samuel Butler Christ Copy Share Image
Young people have a marvelous faculty of either dying or adapting themselves to circumstances. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
I believe that he was really sorry that people would not believe he was sorry that he was not more sorry. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
I never knew a writer yet who took the smallest pains with his style and was at the same time readable. — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
“Life is like playing the violin in public and learning the instrument as one goes on.” — Samuel Butler Education Copy Share Image
Logic is like the sword - those who appeal to it, shall perish by it. — Samuel Butler Logic Copy Share Image
There is no true gracefulness which is not epitomized goodness. — Samuel Butler Goodness Copy Share Image
Brigands will demand your money or your life, but a woman will demand both — Samuel Butler Demand Copy Share Image
Genius might be described as a supreme capacity for getting its possessors into trouble of all kinds — Samuel Butler Copy Share Image
