Quote

The sole impulse which dictates and compels a man's every act: the imperious necessity of securing his own approval, in every emergency and at all costs.... It is our only spur, our whip, our goad, our impelling power we have no other.

Mark Twain

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Mark Twain
Age: 74 †
Born: 1835
Born: November 30
Died: 1910
Died: April 21
Aphorist
Author
Autobiographer
Humorist
Journalist
Novelist
Opinion Journalist
Prosaist
Science Fiction Writer
Teacher
Florida
Missouri
Samuel Langhorne Clemens
Samuel L. Clemens
Samuel Clemens
Impulse
Whips
Impelling
Cost
Spurs
Goad
Power
Emergency
Imperious
Every
Emergencies
Compels
Men
Approval
Securing
Sole
Spur
Costs
Whip
Necessity
Dictates

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Between believing a thing and thinking you KNOW is only a small step and quickly taken.
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Each season brings a world of enjoyment and interest in the watching of its unfolding, its gradual harmonious development, its culminating graces-and just as one begins to tire of it, it passes away and a radical change comes, with new witcheries and new glories in its train.
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If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man but deteriorate the cat.
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There are some few people I respect and admire, but I don't think much of the species.
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The minute we get reconciled to a person, how willing we are to throw aside little needless punctilios and pronounce his name right.
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I do not wish any reward but to know I have done the right thing.
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The law of work seems unfair, but nothing can change it the more enjoyment you get out of your work, the more money you will make.
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It is a shameful thing to insult a child.
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In love, you pay as you leave.
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You may say organize, organize, organize but there may be so much organization that it will interfere with the work to be done.
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Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.
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Alas! those good old days are gone, when a murderer could wipe the stain from his name and soothe his trouble to sleep simply by getting out his blocks and mortar and building an addition to a church.
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Agassiz does recommend authors to eat fish, because the phosphorus in it makes brains. But I cannot help you to a decision about the amount you need to eat. Perhaps a couple of whales would be enough.
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I try never to let my schooling get in the way of my education.
Mark Twain
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Education is what you must acquire without any interference from your schooling.
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Sufficient unto the day is one baby. As long as you are in your right mind don't you ever pray for twins. Twins amount to a permanent riot and there ain't any real difference between triplets and a insurrection. - The Babies speech 1879
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The only very marked difference between the average civilized man and the average savage is that the one is gilded and the other is painted.
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All emotion is involuntary when genuine.
Mark Twain
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Truth is more of a stranger than fiction. When in doubt, tell the truth. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything. Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are economical in its use.
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Sane and intelligent human beings are like all other human beings, and carefully and cautiously and diligently conceal their private real opinions from the world and give out fictitious ones in their stead for general consumption.
Mark Twain