Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer. Among his novels are The Adventures of Tom Sawyerand its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the latter often called "The Great American Novel"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth30 November 1835
CountryUnited States of America
action fine happiness heroic people telling unhappy
There are people who can do all fine and heroic things but one: keep from telling their happiness to the unhappy
according against alone ashamed aside both bullying cannot course decide duty empty himself hold label lightly man morality nation patriotic shall solemn
Each of you, for himself, by himself and on his own responsibility, must speak. And it is a solemn and weighty responsibility, and not lightly to be flung aside at the bullying of pulpit, press, government, or the empty catchphrases of politicians. Each must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let man label you as they may. If you alone of all the nation shall decide one way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have done your duty by yourself and by your country- hold up your head! You have nothing to be ashamed of.
apart country drawbacks fine france morals neither nor summer winter
France had neither winter nor summer nor morals - apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country
common courage curious moral physical rare
It is curious - curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and moral courage so rare
born foreign man morals paralysis
Morals are an acquirement - like music, like a foreign language, like piety, poker, paralysis - no man is born with them.
brings cannot creator exist moral until wrong
It is the creator of wrong; wrong cannot exist until Moral Sense brings it into being
distort facts
Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
balls good lost pick rolling
It's good sportsmanship not to pick up lost balls while they are still rolling
editor excellent meddle needs perfect political serve shall term
I shall not often meddle with politics, because we have a political Editor who is already excellent and only needs to serve a term or two in the penitentiary to be perfect
lies-and-lying standard washington
I am different from Washington. I have a higher, grander standard of principle. Washington could not lie. I can lie, but I won't.
cure faith strong
Any mummery will cure if the patient's faith is strong in it.
banker begins fellow lends minute rain shining sun umbrella wants
A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain
american-author creature god man work
Man - a creature made at the end of the week's work when God was tired.
beings deserve dishonor human
Human beings feel dishonor the most, sometimes, when they most deserve it