E. W. Howe's Quotes

Living up to ideals is like doing everyday work with your Sunday clothes on.

Men have as exaggerated an idea of their rights as women have of their wrongs.

No man would listen to you talk if he didn't know it was his turn next.

People are always neglecting something they can do in trying to do something they can't do.

The feeling of sleepiness when you are not in bed, and can't get there, is the meanest feeling in the world.

The little trouble in the world that is not due to love is due to friendship.

The modest person is usually admired, if people ever hear of them.

The only way to amuse some people is to slip and fall on an icy pavement.

The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it.

There is nothing so well known as that we should not expect something for nothing - but we all do and call it Hope.

Virtue must be valuable, if men and women of all degrees pretend to have it.

What people say behind your back is your standing in the community.

When a man has no reason to trust himself, he trusts in luck.

When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine that he is polite all the time.

When men are not regretting that life is so short, they are doing something to kill time.

When you are in trouble, people who call to sympathize are really looking for the particulars.

You needn't love your enemy, but if you refrain from telling lies about him, you are doing well enough.

If a man has money, it is usually a sign, too, that he knows how to take care of it; don't imagine his money is easy to get simply because he has plenty of it.

The greatest humiliation in life, is to work hard on something from which you expect great appreciation, and then fail to get it.

The man who can keep a secret may be wise, but he is not half as wise as the man with no secrets to keep.

When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.

If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers.

If a woman doesn't chase a man a little, she doesn't love him.

Some men are alive simply because it is against the law to kill them.

Instead of loving your enemies - treat your friends a little better.

The worst feeling in the world is the homesickness that comes over a man occasionally when he is at home.

To be an ideal guest, stay at home.

Don't abuse your friends and expect them to consider it criticism.

The most destructive criticism is indifference.

None of us can boast about the morality of our ancestors. The record does not show that Adam and Eve were ever married.

One of the surprising things in this world is the respect a worthless man has for himself.

A thief believes everybody steals.

If you don't learn to laugh at troubles, you won't have anything to laugh at when you grow old.

A boy doesn't have to go to war to be a hero; he can say he doesn't like pie when he sees there isn't enough to go around.

Every successful person I have heard of has done the best he could with the conditions as he found them, and not waited until next year for better.

Many people would be more truthful were it not for their uncontrollable desire to talk.

Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.

There is only one thing people like that is good for them; a good night's sleep.

A young man is a theory, an old man is a fact.

Half the time men think they are talking business, they are wasting time.

It is hard to convince a high-school student that he will encounter a lot of problems more difficult than those of algebra and geometry.

Many a man is saved from being a thief by finding everything locked up.

The average man's judgment is so poor, he runs a risk every time he uses it.