Oaths are but words, and words are but wind. Samuel Butler More Quotes by Samuel Butler More Quotes From Samuel Butler Memory and forgetfulness are as life and death to one another. To live is to remember and to remember is to live. To die is to forget and to forget is to die. Samuel Butler life-and-deathremembermemories You cannot have a thing "matter" by itself which shall have no motion in it, nor yet a thing "motion" by itself which shall exist apart from matter; you must have both or neither. You can have matter moving much, or little, and in all conceivable ways; but you cannot have matter without any motion more than you can have motion without any matter that is moving. Samuel Butler littlessciencemoving They say the test of [literary power] is whether a man can write an inscription. I say, "Can he name a kitten?" And by this test I am condemned, for I cannot. Samuel Butler catwritingmen We all love best not those who offend us least, but those who make it most easy for us to forgive them. Samuel Butler forgivenessforgivinglove-is It is not sufficiently considered in the hour of exultation, that all human excellence is comparative; that no man performs much but in proportion to what other accomplish, or to the time and opportunities which have been allowed him. Samuel Butler successopportunitymen The extremes of vice and virtue are alike detestable, and absolute virtue is as sure to kill a man as absolute vice is. Samuel Butler virtuevicesmen A man should have any number of little aims about which he should be conscious and for which he should have names, but he should have neither name for, nor consciousness concerning the main aim of his life. Samuel Butler wisdominspirationalmen The foundations which we would dig about and find are within us, like the kingdom of heaven, rather than without. Samuel Butler progresskingdomsheaven How often do we not see children ruined through the virtues, real or supposed, of their parents? Samuel Butler parentrealchildren A definition is the enclosing a wilderness of idea within a wall of words. Samuel Butler wallscienceideas Cat-Ideas and Mouse-Ideas. We can never get rid of mouse-ideas completely, they keep turning up again and again, and nibble, nibble-no matter how often we drive them off. The best way to keep them down is to have a few good strong cat-ideas which will embrace them and ensure their not reappearing till they do so in another shape. Samuel Butler catstrongideas In practice it is seldom very hard to do one's duty when one knows what it is, but it is sometimes extremely difficult to find this out. Samuel Butler dutypracticesometimes Though analogy is often misleading, it is the least misleading thing we have. Samuel Butler dishonestyanalogieslying All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it - and they do enjoy it as much as man and other circumstances will allow. Samuel Butler humanityanimalmen He that complies against his will, Is of his own opinion still. Samuel Butler opinionlibertyagreement Neither have they hearts to stay, nor wit enough to run away. Samuel Butler enoughheartrunning I fall asleep in the full and certain hope That my slumber shall not be broken; And that, though I be all-forgetting, Yet shall I not be all-forgotten, But continue that life in the thoughts and deeds of those I have loved. Samuel Butler prayerdeathfall The public do not know enough to be experts, but know enough to decide between them. Samuel Butler enoughexpertsknows The public buys its opinions as it buys its meat, or takes in its milk, on the principle that it is cheaper to do this than to keep a cow. So it is, but the milk is more likely to be watered. Samuel Butler public-opinionmeatprinciples He was born stupid, and greatly increased his birthright. Samuel Butler bornsarcasticstupid
