Mark Twain, Following the Equator

The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession, what there is of it.

Mark Twain, Following the Equator

By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity. Another man's, I mean.

Mark Twain, Following the Equator (1897)

It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them.

Mark Twain, Following the Equator (1897)

It takes your enemy and your friend, working together, to hurt you: the one to slander you, and the other to get the news to you.

Mark Twain, Following the Equator (1897)

Man is the Only Animal that Blushes. Or needs to.

Mark Twain, Following the Equator (1897)

There are several good protections against temptations, but the surest is cowardice.

Mark Twain, Following the Equator (1897)

The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.

Mark Twain, in Christian Science

All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.

Mark Twain, Letter to Mrs Foote, Dec. 2, 1887

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, Mark Twain In Eruption

Of all the creatures that were made, man is the most detestable. Of the entire brood he is the only one--the solitary one--that possesses malice. That is the basest of all instincts, passions, vices--the most hateful. He is the only creature that has pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. Also--in all the list he is the only creature that has a nasty mind.