Samuel Butler Quotes

The worst of rebels never arm
To do their king or country harm,
But draw their swords read more

The worst of rebels never arm
To do their king or country harm,
But draw their swords to do them good,
As doctors cure by letting blood.

He ne'er consider'd it as loth
To look a gift-horse in the mouth,
And very wisely would read more

He ne'er consider'd it as loth
To look a gift-horse in the mouth,
And very wisely would lay forth
No more upon it than 'twas worth;
But as he got it freely, so
He spent it frank and freely too:
For saints themselves will sometimes be,
Of gifts that cost them nothing, free.

The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may -make a fool of yourself with him and not only read more

The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may -make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.

In mathematics he was greater
Than Tycho Brahe, or Erra Pater;
For he, by geometric scale,
read more

In mathematics he was greater
Than Tycho Brahe, or Erra Pater;
For he, by geometric scale,
Could take the size of pots of ale.

For discords make the sweetest airs.

For discords make the sweetest airs.

Success, the mark no mortal wit,
Or surest hand, can always hit:
For whatsoe'er we perpetrate,
read more

Success, the mark no mortal wit,
Or surest hand, can always hit:
For whatsoe'er we perpetrate,
We do but row, we're steer'd by Fate,
Which in success oft disinherits,
For spurious causes, noblest merits.

Some have been beaten till they know
What wood a cudgel's of by th' blow:
Some kick'd read more

Some have been beaten till they know
What wood a cudgel's of by th' blow:
Some kick'd until they can feel whether
A shoe be Spanish or neat's leather.

He who rules by moral force is like the pole star, which remains
in place while all the lesser read more

He who rules by moral force is like the pole star, which remains
in place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.

For brevity is very good,
Where we are, or are not understood.

For brevity is very good,
Where we are, or are not understood.

And though it be a two-foot trout,
'Tis with a single hair pulled out.

And though it be a two-foot trout,
'Tis with a single hair pulled out.