Quotes from Samuel Butler

Every man's work, whether it be literature, or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself.

I am the enfant terrible of literature and science

I have never written on any subject unless I believed that the authorities on it were hopelessly wrong.

Our self-conceit sustains and always must sustain us.

Neither have they hearts to stay Nor wit enough to run away.

To himself everyone is immortal; he may know that he is going to die, but he can never know that he is dead.

The dead should be judged like criminals, impartially, but they should be allowed the benefit of the doubt.

When you've told someone that you've left them a legacy the only decent thing to do is to die at once.

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.

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

Virtue knows that it is impossible to get on without compromise, and tunes herself, as it were, a trifle sharp to allow for an inevitable fall in playing.

In the midst of vice we are in virtue, and vice versa.

A virtue to be serviceable must, like gold, be alloyed with some commoner, but more durable alloy.

Be virtuous and you will be vicious.

Friendship is like money, more easily made than kept.

Friendship is like money, easier made than kept.

When you have told anyone you have left him a legacy the only decent thing to do is to die at once.

Whatsoever we perpetrate, we do but row; we are steered by fate.

Whatso'er we perpetrate We do but row we are steered by fate.

Faith is a kind of betting or speculation.

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

Fear is static that prevents me from hearing myself.

It is our less conscious thoughts and our less conscious actions which mainly mould our lives and the lives of those who spring from us.

All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.