The only living works are those which have drained much of the author's own life into them. Samuel Butler More Quotes by Samuel Butler More Quotes From Samuel Butler [P]oetry resembles metaphysics: one does not mind one's own, but one does not like anyone else's. Samuel Butler metaphysicsminddoe People are lucky and unlucky not according to what they get absolutely, but according to the ratio between what they get and what they have been led to expect. Samuel Butler ratiosluckypeople Young people have a marvelous faculty of either dying or adapting themselves to circumstances. Samuel Butler agingdyingpeople Men should not try to overstrain their goodness more than any other faculty, bodily or mental. Samuel Butler goodnesstryingmen If life must not be taken too seriously, then so neither must death. Samuel Butler lifefunnydeath Men are seldom more commonplace than on supreme occasions. Samuel Butler banalitycornymen Marriage is distinctly and repeatedly excluded from heaven. Is this because it is thought likely to mar the general felicity? Samuel Butler felicitymarsheaven For truth is precious and divine, too rich a pearl for carnal swine. Samuel Butler richpearlstruth A sense of humor keen enough to show a man his own absurdities will keep him from the commission of all sins, or nearly all, save those worth committing. Samuel Butler sense-of-humorsinmen Logic is like the sword - those who appeal to it, shall perish by it. Samuel Butler reason-and-logicappealslogic If you follow reason far enough it always leads to conclusions that are contrary to reason. Samuel Butler logicenoughreason Women can stand a beating except when it is with their own weapons. Samuel Butler weapons In old times people used to try and square the circle; now they try and devise schemes for satisfying the Irish nation. Samuel Butler circlessquarespeople A physician's physiology has much the same relation to his power of healing as a cleric's divinity has to his power of influencing conduct. Samuel Butler divinityphysicianshealing There is nothing so unthinkable as thought, unless it be the entire absence of thought. Samuel Butler unthinkableabsencethinking The dons of Oxford and Cambridge are too busy educating the young men to be able to teach them anything. Samuel Butler ableoxfordmen I never knew a writer yet who took the smallest pains with his style and was at the same time readable. Samuel Butler smalleststylepain The dead should be judged like criminals, impartially, but they should be allowed the benefit of the doubt. Samuel Butler dyingdoubtdeath One of the first businesses of a sensible man is to know when he is beaten, and to leave off fighting at once. Samuel Butler sunsetfightingmen My main wish is to get my books into other people's rooms, and to keep other people's books out of mine. Samuel Butler wishbookpeople
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