Quotes About Samuel Butler

The history of the world is the record of the weakness, frailty and death of public opinion.

They say the test of literary power is whether a man can write an inscription. I say, "Can he name a kitten?"

In the end I came to see that the true prophet of the modern world was Samuel Butler: when he suggested that the machine was an evolutionary development, destined to supersede man as the dominant species and reduce him to greenfly status, the status of machine-minder, homo mechanicus instead of homo sapiens ; and to modify his nature accordingly.

They say the test of literary power is whether a man can write an inscription. I say, 'Can he name a kitten?

Some men love truth so much that they seem to be in continual fear lest she should catch cold on over-exposure.

The trenchant blade, Toledo trusty,For want of fighting was grown rusty,And ate into itself, for lackOf somebody to hew and hack.

And pulpit, drum ecclesiastic,Was beat with fist, instead of a stick.

The history of the world is the record of the weakness, frailty and death of public opinion.

Some men love truth so much that they seem to be in continual fear lest she should catch a cold on overexposure.

Love is a boy by poets styled;Then spare the rod, and spoil the child.

I'll make the furFly 'bout the ears of the old cur.

Loyalty is still the same,Whether it win or lose the gameTrue as a dial to the sun,Although it be not shined upon.

Brigands demand your money or your life; women require both.

Christ: I dislike him very much. Still, I can stand him. What I cannot stand is the wretched band of people whose profession is to hoodwink us about him.