413 Quotes by Samuel Butler

Think of and look at your work as though it were done by your enemy. If you look at it to admire it, you are lost.

The youth of an art is, like the youth of anything else, its most interesting period. When it has come to the knowledge of good and evil it is stronger, but we care less about it.

Willing or preferring is the same with respect to good and evil, that judging is with respect to truth or falsehood.

Great actions are not always true sons of great and mighty resolutions.

Keep your friendships in repair.

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.

Doubtless the pleasure is as great of being cheated as to cheat.

Always eat grapes downward - that is, always eat the best grapes first; in this way there will be none better left on the bunch, and each grape will seem good down to the last. If you eat the other way, you will not have a good grape in the lot.

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