To live is like to love – all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct is for it. Samuel Butler
Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on. Samuel Butler
The course of true anything never does run smooth. Samuel Butler
Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises. Samuel Butler
There is no bore like a clever bore. Samuel Butler
Friendship is like money, easier made than kept. Samuel Butler
If the headache would only precede the intoxication, alcoholism would be a virtue. Samuel Butler
Life is like music; it must be composed by ear, feeling, and instinct, not by rule. Samuel Butler
The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them. Samuel Butler
To himself everyone is immortal; he may know that he is going to die, but he can never know that he is dead. Samuel Butler
The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too. Samuel Butler
There is nothing which at once affects a man so much and so little as his own death. Samuel Butler
Independence is essential for permanent but fatal to immediate success. Samuel Butler
An obstinate man does not hold opinions, but they hold him. Samuel Butler
Logic is like the sword – those who appeal to it, shall perish by it. Samuel Butler
The Bible may be the truth, but it is not the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Samuel Butler
Death is only a larger kind of going abroad. Samuel Butler
The dons of Oxford and Cambridge are too busy educating the young men to be able to teach them anything. Samuel Butler
When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness that he hath committed and doeth that which is neither lawful nor quite right, he will generally be found to have gained in amiability what he has lost in holiness. Samuel Butler
Priests are not men of the world; it is not intended that they should be; and a University training is the one best adapted to prevent their becoming so. Samuel Butler
Entertaining angels unawares: It is always we who are to entertain the angels, and never they us. I cannot, however, think that an angel would be a very entertaining person, either as guest or host. Samuel Butler