Mark Twain Quotes

Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and very deep—for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low cunning. ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Tom counted the pages of the sermon; after church he always knew how many pages there had been, but he seldom knew anything else about the discourse. ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Saturday morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart; and if the heart was young the music issued at the lips. There was cheer in every face and a spring in every step. ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Homely truth is unpalatable. ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits. ~ The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain When angry, count four; when very angry, swear. ~ The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example. ~ The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain Adam was but human--this explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple's sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent; then he would have eaten the serpent. ~ The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain Now he found out a new thing--namely, that to promise not to do a thing is the surest way in the world to make a body want to go and do that very thing. ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain