Josh Billings Quotes - Page 11

Shame is the dying embers of virtue.

The secret of forgiving everything is to understand nothing.

I have lived in this world just long enough to look carefully the second time into things that I am most certain of the first time.

Too many individuals are like Shakespeare's definition of "echo,"--babbling gossips of the air.

Good nonsense is good sense in disguise.

Human happiness konsists in having what yu want, and wanting what yu have.

Morally considered, laughter is next to the Ten Commandments.

Fashion makes fools of some, sinners of others, and slaves of all.

Poverty is the step-mother of genius.

If a man is right, he can't be too radical; if he is wrong, he can't be too conservative.

Most men had rather say a smart thing than do a good one. John P. Kotter, Leading Change.

There never yet was a mother who taught her child to be an infidel.

Advice is like kissing: it costs nothing and is a pleasant thing to do.

It is true that wealth won't make a man virtuous, but I notice there ain't anybody who wants to be poor just for the purpose of being good.

Take the humbug out of this world, and you haven't much left to do business with.

What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul I suppose this depends somewhat upon the size of the soul. I think there are cases where the trade would do.

There is a significant Latin proverb; to wit: Who will guard the guards?

Pedigrees seldom improve by age; the grandson is too often a weak infringement on the grandsire's parent.

I am a poor man, but I have this consolation: I am poor by accident, not by design.

If there was no faith there would be no living in this world. We could not even eat hash with any safety.

When a young man begins to go down hill everything seems to be greased for the occasion.

Wisdom that don't make us happier ain't worth plowing for.

Economy is a savings-bank, into which men drop pennies, and get dollars in return.

Society is composed of slow Christians and wide-awake sinners.

Beauty is a very handy thing to have, especially for a woman who ain't handsome.