413 Quotes by Samuel Butler

A drunkard would not give money to sober people. He said they would only eat it, and buy clothes and send their children to school with it.

If old Pontifex had had Cromwell's chances he would have done all that Cromwell did, and have done it better; if he had had Giotto's chances he would have done all that Giotto did, and done it no worse; as it was, he was a village carpenter, and I wi

If you follow reason far enough it always leads to conclusions that are contrary to reason.

If life must not be taken too seriously, then so neither must death.

I reckon being ill as one of the great pleasures of life, provided one is not too ill and is not obliged to work till one is better.

He that complies against his will, Is of his own opinion still.

I'll make the fur / Fly round the ears of the old cur.

From a worldly point of view, there is no mistake so great as that of being always right.

If the headache would only precede the intoxication, alcoholism would be a virtue.