The mark of a civilized man is his willingness to re-examine his most cherished beliefs. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. More Quotes by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. More Quotes From Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. To brag little, to lose well, / To crow gently if in luck, / To pay up, to own up, / To shut up if beaten, / Are the virtues of a sportingman. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. crow luck character To be master of any branch of knowledge, you must master those which lie next to it, and thus to know anything you must know all. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. branches lying knowledge A man's opinions are generally of much more value than his arguments. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. argument opinion men General propositions do not decide concrete cases. The decision will depend on a judgment or intuition more subtle than any articulate major premise. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. judgment intuition decision The law is the witness and external deposit of our moral life. Its history is the history of the moral development of the race. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. moral-development race law The history of intellectual growth and discovery clearly demonstrates the need for unfettered freedom, the right to think the unthinkable, discuss the unmentionable, and challenge the unchallengeable. To curtail free expression strikes twice at intellectual freedom, for whoever deprives another of the right to state unpopular views necessarily also deprives others of the right to listen to those views. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. views discovery thinking A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. paddling rivers water There are many things which we can afford to forget which it is yet well to learn. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. teenager education inspirational Any new formula which suddenly emerges in our consciousness has its roots in long trains of thought; it is virtually old when it first makes its appearance among the recognized growths of our intellect. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. train-of-thought roots ideas Whatever disagreement there may be as to the scope of the phrase "due process of law" there can be no doubt that it embraces the fundamental conception of a fair trial, with opportunity to be heard. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. law justice opportunity With all humility, I think, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." Infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one's neighbor as one's self. If you want to hit a bird on the wing you must have all your will in focus, you must not be thinking about yourself, and equally, you must not be thinking about your neighbor; you must be living with your eye on that bird. Every achievement is a bird on the wing. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. selfish eye humility The ultimate good desired is better reached by free trade in ideas [and] the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. competition acceptance ideas Beware of making your moral staple consist of the negative virtues. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. ethics integrity negative The greatest act of faith is when a man understands he is not God. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. humility faith men Life is a fatal complaint, and an eminently contagious one. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. success inspire life The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. holmes courtesy relation The only condition of peace in this world is to have no ideas, or, at least not to express them. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. peace world ideas It is mere childishness to expect men to believe as their fathers did; that is, if they have any minds of their own. The world is a whole generation older and wiser than when the father was of his son's age. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. believe father son The riders in a race do not stop when they reach the goal. There is a little finishing canter before coming to a standstill. There is time to hear the kind voices of friends and say to oneself, The work is done. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. voice work friendship From forty to fifty a man must move upward, or the natural falling off in the vigor of life will carry him rapidly downward. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. men fall moving
