There is far more opportunity than there is ability.

I've never made a mistake. I've only learned from experience.

I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come indirectly through accident, except the phonograph. No, when I have, fully decided that a result is worth getting, I go about it, and make trial after trial, until it comes.

I have not failed 10,000 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work.

Nature is truly wonderful. Only man is truly foul.

Let the public throw bouquets to the inventors and in time we will all be happy.

One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But... I continue to find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.