The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose

The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose

The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.

The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.

Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, filling it with a steady and perpetual serenity

Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, filling it with a steady and perpetual serenity

A cheerful life is what the Muses love,
A soaring spirit is their prime delight.

A cheerful life is what the Muses love,
A soaring spirit is their prime delight.

I am not a pessimist; to perceive evil where it exists is, in my opinion, a form of optimism.

I am not a pessimist; to perceive evil where it exists is, in my opinion, a form of optimism.

Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power

Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power

Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back.

Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back.

Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance--the cheerful man will do more in the same time, read more

Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance--the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it ;better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen.

A man may be a pessimistic determinist before lunch and an optimistic believer in the will's freedom after it.

A man may be a pessimistic determinist before lunch and an optimistic believer in the will's freedom after it.