WIST Quotations

Butler, Samuel -- “Ignorance”

Dave — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:13:01 +0000

All things […] are best to those who know no better.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
“Ignorance”
(Source)

Full passage:

The less Judgment any Man ha's the Better he is perswaded of his owne abilities, because he is not capable of understanding anything beyond it, and all things how mean so ever, are best to those who know no better: for beside the naturall affection that he has for himself, which go's very farre, the less he is able to improve and mend his Judgment, the higher value he sets upon it, and can no more correct his own false opinions, when he is at his height, than outgrow his own Stature.

Butler, Samuel -- (Attributed)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Going away: I can generally bear the separation, but I don’t like the leave-taking.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
(Attributed)

Butler, Samuel -- Erewhon Revisited, ch. 11 (1901)

Dave — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 21:51:03 +0000

Belief like any other moving body follows the path of least resistance.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Erewhon Revisited, ch. 11 (1901)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- Erewhon (1872)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Death, like life, is an affair of being more frightened than hurt.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Erewhon (1872)

Butler, Samuel -- Erewhon, ch. 20 (1872)

Dave — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:25:27 +0000

It has been said that the love of money is the root of all evil. The want of money is so quite as truly.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Erewhon, ch. 20 (1872)

See Bible, 1 Timothy 6:10

Butler, Samuel -- Erewhon, ch. 21 (1872)

Dave — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:16:39 +0000

There is hardly any error into which men may not easily be led if they base their conduct upon reason only.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Erewhon, ch. 21 (1872)

Butler, Samuel -- Erewhon, ch. 3 “Up the River” (1872)

Dave — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 21:23:28 +0000

There are few of us who are not protected from the keenest pain by our inability to see what it is that we have done, what we are suffering, and what we truly are. Let us be grateful to the mirror for revealing to us our appearances only.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Erewhon, ch. 3 “Up the River” (1872)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- Further Extracts from Note-books of Samuel Butler (1934)

Dave — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:47:56 +0000

The three most important things a man has are, briefly, his private parts, his money, and his religious opinions.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Further Extracts from Note-books of Samuel Butler (1934)

Butler, Samuel -- Further Extracts from the Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 (1934)

Dave — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:09:32 +0000

The Bible may be the truth, but it is not the whole truth, nor is it nothing but the truth.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Further Extracts from the Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 (1934)

Butler, Samuel -- Further Extracts from the Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 (1934)

Dave — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:17:11 +0000

An honest God’s the noblest work of man.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Further Extracts from the Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 (1934)

See Pope.

Butler, Samuel -- Further Extracts from the Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 (1934)

Dave — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 13:28:35 +0000

Reforms and discoveries are like offenses; they must needs come, but woe unto that man through whom they come.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Further Extracts from the Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 (1934)

Butler, Samuel -- Further Extracts from the Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 4 (1934)

Dave — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:42:20 +0000

Conscience is thoroughly well-bred and soon leaves off talking to those who do not wish to hear it.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Further Extracts from the Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 4 (1934)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- Life and Habit, ch. 8 (1877)

Dave — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:05:17 +0000

A hen is only an egg’s way of making another egg.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Life and Habit, ch. 8 (1877)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- Note-books, ch. 10 “The Position of a Homo Unius Libri,” “The Art of Propagating Opinion” [ed. Jones (1912)]

Dave — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 20:12:34 +0000

Arguments are like fire-arms, which a man may keep at home but should not carry about with him.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Note-books, ch. 10 “The Position of a Homo Unius Libri,” “The Art of Propagating Opinion” [ed. Jones (1912)]
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- Prose Observations, “Sundry Thoughts”

Dave — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:58:09 +0000

There are more Fools than Knaves in the World,
Else the Knaves would not have enough to live upon.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Prose Observations, “Sundry Thoughts”
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- Prose Observations. “Nature” [ed. de Quehen (1979)]

Dave — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:41:58 +0000

All the works of Nature are Miracles, and nothing makes them appear otherwise but our Familiarity with them.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Prose Observations. “Nature” [ed. de Quehen (1979)]

Butler, Samuel -- Ramblings In Cheapside (1890)

Dave — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:51:20 +0000

We can see nothing face to face; our utmost seeing is but a fumbling of blind finger-ends in an overcrowded pocket.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Ramblings In Cheapside (1890)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Christ and The Church: If he were to apply for a divorce on the grounds of cruelty, adultery and desertion, he would probably get one.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

To know God better is only to realize how impossible it is that we should ever know him at all. I know not which is more childish, to deny him, or define him.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

There are two great rules in life, the one general and the other particular. The first is that every one can in the end get what he wants if he only tries. This is the general rule. The particular rule is that every individual is more or less of an exception to the general rule.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Life is one long process of getting tired.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

If we attend continually and promptly to the little that we can do, we shall ere long be surprised to find how little remains that we cannot do.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

There is no such source of error as the pursuit of absolute truth.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Dave — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 13:06:51 +0000

Any fool can paint a picture but it takes a wise man to be able to sell it.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “An Apology for the Devil” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:41:11 +0000

It must be remembered that we have only heard one side of the case. God has written all the books.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “An Apology for the Devil” (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Dogs” (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

The great 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.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Dogs” (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Gentleman” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:48:57 +0000

If we are asked what is the most essential characteristic that underlies this word, the word itself will guide us to gentleness, to absence of such things as brow-beating, overbearing manners and fuss, and generally to consideration for other people.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Gentleman” (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Life and Love” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:48:18 +0000

To live is like to love — all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct for it.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Life and Love” (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Morality” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:09:20 +0000

Morality turns on whether the pleasure precedes or follows the pain. Thus it is immoral to get drunk because the headache comes after the drinking. But if the headache came first and the drunkenness afterwards, it would be moral to get drunk.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Morality” (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Rebelliousness”(1912)

Dave — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:46:48 +0000

God’s merits are so transcendent that it is not surprising his faults should be in reasonable proportion.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Rebelliousness”(1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Religion” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:40:48 +0000

Is there any religion whose followers can be pointed to as distinctly more amiable and trustworthy than those of any other? If so, this should be enough. I find the nicest and best people generally profess no religion at all, but are ready to like the best men of all religions.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Religion” (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Scientists” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:35:55 +0000

There are two classes [of scientists], those who want to know and do not care whether others think they know or not, and those who do not much care about knowing but care very greatly about being reputed as knowing.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Scientists” (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Silence and Tact” (1912)

Dave — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 12:17:55 +0000

Silence is not always tact and it is tact that is golden, not silence.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Silence and Tact” (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Sparks” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:56:22 +0000

Everything matters more than we think it does, and, at the same time, nothing matters so much as we think it does. The merest spark may set all Europe in a blaze, but though all Europe be set in a blaze twenty times over, the world will wag itself right again.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Sparks” (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Speech at the Somerville Club” (27 Feb 1895) (1912)

Dave — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:29:10 +0000

Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Speech at the Somerville Club” (27 Feb 1895) (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “The World,” ii (1912)

Dave — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:34:23 +0000

We play out our days as we play out cards, taking them as they come, not knowing what they will be, hoping for a lucky card and sometimes getting one, often getting just the wrong one.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “The World,” ii (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Thought and Word,” viii (1912)

Dave — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:52:37 +0000

Words are like money; there is nothing so useless, unless when in actual use.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Thought and Word,” viii (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Vice and Virtue,” ii (1912)

Dave — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:34:09 +0000

The extremes of vice and virtue are alike detestable; absolute virtue is as sure to kill a man as absolute vice is, let alone the dullnesses of it and the pomposities of it.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Vice and Virtue,” ii (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Writing for a Hundred Years Hence” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:48:47 +0000

When a man is in doubt about this or that in his writing, it will often guide him if he asks himself how it will tell a hundred years hence.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, “Writing for a Hundred Years Hence” (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 7 “On the Making of Music, Pictures and Books,” “Thought and Word,” sec. 9 (1912)

Dave — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:49:19 +0000

Books are like imprisoned souls until someone takes them down from a shelf and frees them.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 7 “On the Making of Music, Pictures and Books,” “Thought and Word,” sec. 9 (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 “Life,” ix (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 “Life,” ix (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 “Life” (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

All progress is based upon a universal innate desire on the part of every organism to live beyond its income.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1 “Life” (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1, “Life” (1912)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Life is like music, it must be composed by ear, feeling and instinct, not by rule. Nevertheless one had better know the rules, for they sometimes guide in doubtful cases, though not often.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1, “Life” (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1, “Life” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 12:41:12 +0000

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 that are worth committing.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 1, “Life” (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 17 (1912)

Dave — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:07:19 +0000

The public buys its opinions as it buys its meat, or takes in its milk, on the principle that it is cheaper to do this than to keep a cow. So it is, but the milk is more likely to be watered.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 17 (1912)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 19 [ed. Festing-Jones] (1907)

Dave — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 14:17:18 +0000

I do not mind lying, but I hate inaccuracy.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 19 [ed. Festing-Jones] (1907)

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 21 “Faith” (1912)

Dave — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:36:33 +0000

You can do very little with faith, but you can do nothing without it.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, ch. 21 “Faith” (1912)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, Part 7 “On the Making of Music, Pictures and Books,” “Thought and Word,” sec. 2 (1912)

Dave — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 18:07:01 +0000

Though analogy is often misleading, it is the best misleading thing we have.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, Part 7 “On the Making of Music, Pictures and Books,” “Thought and Word,” sec. 2 (1912)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Way of All Flesh (1903)

Dave — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:51:52 +0000

Never learn anything until you find you have been made uncomfortable for a good long while by not knowing it; when you find that you have occasion for this or that knowledge, or foresee that you will have occasion for it shortly, the sooner you learn it the better, but till then spend your time in growing bone and muscle; these will be much more useful to you than Latin and Greek, nor will you ever be able to make them if you do not do so now, whereas Latin and Greek can be acquired at any time by those who want them.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Way of All Flesh (1903)

Butler, Samuel -- The Way of All Flesh, ch. 19 (1903)

Dave — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:10:08 +0000

All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Way of All Flesh, ch. 19 (1903)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Way of All Flesh, ch. 39 (1903)

Dave — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:16:56 +0000

The best liar is he who makes the smallest amount of lying go the longest way.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Way of All Flesh, ch. 39 (1903)

Butler, Samuel -- The Way of All Flesh, ch. 52 (1903)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

Half the vices that the world condemns most loudly have seeds of good in them and require moderate use rather than total abstinence.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Way of All Flesh, ch. 52 (1903)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- The Way of All Flesh, ch. 61 (1903)

Dave — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:20:24 +0000

There’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Way of All Flesh, ch. 61 (1903)

Full text.

Butler, Samuel -- The Way of All Flesh, ch. 68 (1903)

Dave — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 15:36:38 +0000

It is the uncompromisingness with which dogma is held and not in the dogma or want of dogma that the danger lies.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
The Way of All Flesh, ch. 68 (1903)
(Source)

Butler, Samuel -- Letter to Miss E. M. A. Savage (21 Nov 1884)

Dave — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:27:13 +0000

It was very good of God to let Carlyle and Mrs. Carlyle marry one another and to make only two people miserable instead of four, besides being very amusing.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) English novelist, satirist, scholar
Letter to Miss E. M. A. Savage (21 Nov 1884)

Referring to Thomas Carlyle.