Don't wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.

When I want to read something nice, I sit down and write it myself.

If we learned to walk and talk the way we learn to read and write, everyone would limp and stutter.

The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception.

We often feel sad in the presence of music without words; and often more than that in the presence of music without music.

We are discreet sheep; we wait to see how the drove is going, and then go with the drove. We have two opinions: one private, which we are afraid to express; and another one - the one we use - which we force ourselves to wear to please Mrs. Grundy, until habit makes us comfortable in it, and the custom of defending it presently makes us love it, adore it, and forget how pitifully we came by it. Look at it in politics.

That optimist of yours is always ready to turn hell's backyard into a play-ground.