Saturday, April 23, 2011

T is for Twain...Mark Twain....



   Today's letter is T....

Mark Twain photo portrait.Image via Wikipedia



   One of the most famous and loved American writer of all times was Mark Twain. Below are a few of the quotes he left us and they are just as applicable now as the day he wrote them.


On growing old...

"When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not."

"Life would be infinitely happier if  we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen."


On Human Nature...


"The more things are forbidden, the more popular they become."

"Action speaks louder than words but no nearly as often."



On succeeding in life...


"To succeed in life you need two things: ignorance and confidence."

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."


He must have had governments and politicians in mind with these...


"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time , and your government when it deserves it."

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please."

"The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it."


And remember his advice when you think about politics and governments...

"When angry, count to four. When very angry, swear."


Twain's advice on writing...

"Substitute "Damn" every time you are inclined to write "Very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be."

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."





And as a last bit of advice remember this one...

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living.
The world owes you nothing. It was here first."

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