“When angry, count four; when very angry, swear.”
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Use Plain, Simple Language
“I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English–it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don’t let fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in. When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don’t mean utterly, but kill most of them–then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart. An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice.”
Judge People by Their Accomplishments
“When we do not know a person — and also when we do — we have to judge his size by the size and nature of his achievements, as compared with the achievements of others in his special line of business — there is no other way.”
On Undeserved Honors
“It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not to deserve them.”
Keeping Your Mouth Closed
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
On the Side of the Majority
“Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform.”
Swearing and the Spirit of Wrath
“The spirit of wrath—not the words—is the sin; and the spirit of wrath is cursing. We begin to swear before we can talk.”
Acknowledge a Fault
“Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more.”
Don’t Part With Your Illusions
“Don’t part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist but you have ceased to live.”
Doing Your Duty Without Pain
“Make it a point to do something every day that you don’t want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.”
On Speculation
“There are two times in a man’s life when he should not speculate: when he can’t afford it, and when he can.”
Friends on the Hill of Prosperity
There is an old-time toast which is golden for its beauty. “When you ascend the hill of prosperity may you not meet a friend.”
Wisdom and Experience
“We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it—and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again—and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one any more.”
