A quotation from Robert Louis Stevenson

Marriage is one long conversation, chequered by disputes.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
Essay (1882-08), “Talk and Talkers (A Sequel),” Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 46

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A quotation from Cicero

MARCUS: But there are more disorders of the mind than of the body, and they are of a more dangerous nature.
 
[At et morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis; hi enim ipsi odiosi sunt.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Tusculan Disputations [Tusculanae Disputationes], Book 3, ch. 3 (3.3) / sec. 5 (3.5) (45 BC) [tr. Yonge (1853)]

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A quotation from Wilde

Ultimately, the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or friendship, is conversation.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Irish poet, wit, dramatist
Letter (1897-03) to Alfred Douglas, “Epistola: In Carcere et Vinculis”

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A quotation from Emerson

Insist on yourself; never imitate.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Essay (1841), “Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series, No. 2

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A quotation from Salman Rushdie

The creative act requires not only freedom but also this assumption of freedom. If the creative artist worries if he will still be free tomorrow, then he will not be free today. If he is afraid of the consequences of his choice of subject or of his manner of treatment of it, then his choices will not be determined by his talent, but by fear. If we are not confident of our freedom, then we are not free.

Salman Rushdie (b. 1947) Indian novelist
Speech (2012-05-06), Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture, PEN World Voices Festival, New York City

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A quotation from Watterson

HOBBES: If you couldn’t find any weirdness, maybe we’ll just have to make some!

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1994-04-17)

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A quotation from Eleanor Roosevelt

Up to a certain point it is good for us to know that there are people in the world who will give us love and unquestioned loyalty to the limit of their ability. I doubt, however, if it is good for us to feel assured of this without the accompanying obligation of having to justify this devotion by our behavior.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) First Lady of the US (1933–1945), politician, diplomat, activist
Memoir (1937), This Is My Story, ch. 17 “Readjustment”

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A quotation from Montesquieu

If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, which is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.
 
[Si on ne vouloit qu’être heureux, cela seroit bientôt fait; mais on veut être plus heureux que les autres; et cela est presque toujours difficile, parce que nous croyons les autres plus heureux qu’ils ne sont.]

Charles-Lewis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) French political philosopher
Pensées Diverses [Assorted Thoughts], # 978 / 1003 (1720-1755)

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A quotation from Bill Watterson

   CALVIN: It offends the human ego that nature is indifferent to us. Nature doesn’t care if people live or die. It refuses to be tamed. It does whatever it wants and acts like people don’t matter. It won’t confirm our right to be here. That drives people crazy. We can’t stand being ignored. It’s insulting and … hey!
   HOBBES: YAWWNN. [wanders off]
   CALVIN: I think that’s also why some people don’t like cats.

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1994-03-04)

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A quotation from Twain

Custom is custom; it is built of brass, boiler iron, granite; facts, reasonings, arguments have no more effect upon it than the idle winds have upon Gibraltar.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
Essay (1906), “The Gorky Incident,” Letters from the Earth (c. 1909; pub. 1962) [ed. DeVoto (1939)]

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A quotation from Horace

But like a general, a host displays
his genius best under disaster.
 
[Sed convivatoris uti ducis ingenium res
Adversae nudare solent, celare secundae.]

Horace (65–8 BC) Roman poet, satirist, soldier, politician [Quintus Horatius Flaccus]
Satires [Saturae, Sermones], Book 2, # 8 “Ut Nasidieni,” l. 73ff (2.8.73-74) (30 BC) [tr. Matthews (2002)]

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A quotation from Bill Watterson

   CALVIN: Bugs fly in such crazy loops and zigzags. I wonder why they don’t get dizzy and barf.
   HOBBES: Maybe they do!
   CALVIN: Eww, gross! Ha ha ha! But then why would they keep flying that way?
   HOBBES: Maybe bugs like to barf!
   CALVIN: Ewwww! They would!! Ha ha ha ha! Blaugh!
   CALVIN: I tell you, Hobbes, it’s great to have a friend who appreciates an earnest discussion of ideas.

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1992-07-14)

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A quotation from Bill Watterson

CALVIN: Why does the universe always give you the sign after you do it?

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1991-06-09)

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A quotation from Shakespeare

AUTOLYCUS: I see this is the time that the unjust man doth thrive.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet
Winter’s Tale, Act 4, sc. 4, l. 796ff (4.4.796-797) (1611)

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A quotation from Adlai Stevenson

The government must be the trustee for the little man because no one else will be. The powerful can usually help themselves — and frequently do.

Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965) American diplomat, statesman
Speech (1955-10-29), “The Crisis in Agriculture,” Democratic Rally, Duluth, Minnesota

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A quotation from Nora Ephron

Never marry a man you wouldn’t want to be divorced from.

Nora Ephron (1941-2012) American screenwriter, author, journalist, director
Essay (2006), “What I Wish I’d Known,” I Feel Bad About My Neck (2007)

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A quotation from Bill Watterson

CALVIN: I don’t care about issues! I’ve got better things to do than argue with every wrong-headed crackpot with an ignorant opinion! I’m a busy man! I say, either agree with me or take a hike! I’m right, period! End of discussion!

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1993-11-16)

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A quotation from Mark Twain

The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
Note (1897-05-31), paraphrased

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A quotation from Thomas Carlyle

If Jesus Christ were to come today, people would not even crucify Him. They would ask Him to dinner, and hear what He had to say, and make fun of it.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
Remark (1850-01-12)

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A quotation from Molly Ivins

Me, I think government is a tool, like a hammer. You can use a hammer to build with or you can use a hammer to destroy with. Whether government is good or bad depends on what you use it for and how well you use it. On the whole, it’s a poor idea to put people in charge of government who don’t believe in using it.

Molly Ivins (1944-2007) American writer, political columnist [Mary Tyler Ivins]
Essay (1992-03-01), “Good morning, Fort Worth! Glad to be here,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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A quotation from Horace

To know all things is not permitted.
 
[Nec scire fas est omnia.]

Horace (65–8 BC) Roman poet, satirist, soldier, politician [Quintus Horatius Flaccus]
Odes [Carmina], Book 4, # 4, l. 22 (4.4.22) (23 BC)

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A quotation from Douglas Adams

A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

Douglas Adams (1952-2001) English author, humorist, screenwriter
Hitchhiker’s Guide No. 5, Mostly Harmless, ch. 12 (1992)

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A quotation from Bill Watterson

   CALVIN: I’ve decided to stop caring about things. If you care, you just get disappointed all the time. If you don’t care, nothing matters, so you’re never upset. From now on, my rallying cry is, “So what?!”
   HOBBES: That’s a tough cry to rally around.
   CALVIN: So what?!

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1993-01-02)

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A quotation from Einstein

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.
 
[Wer es unternimmt, auf dem Gebiet der Wahrheit und der Erkenntnis als Autoritat aufzutreten, scheitert am Gelachter der Gotter.]

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German-American physicist
Essay (1953-05-23), “Aphorisms for Leo Baeck [Neun Aphorismen], No. 8, Essays Presented to Leo Baeck on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday (1954) [Einstein Archives 28-962]

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A quotation from Montesquieu

I suffer from the disease of writing books and being ashamed of them when they are finished.
 
[J’ai la maladie de faire des livres et d’en être honteux quand je les ai faits.]

Charles-Lewis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) French political philosopher
Pensées Diverses [Assorted Thoughts], # 83 / 837 (1720-1755)

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A quotation from Bill Watterson

CALVIN: Hocus-pocus, Abracadabra! I command my homework to do itself! Homework, be done!

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1986-04-25)

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A quotation from Florynce Kennedy

The biggest sin is sitting on your ass.

Florynce "Flo" Kennedy (1916-2000) American lawyer, feminist, civil rights activist
(Attributed)

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A quotation from Franklin

A good Example is the best sermon.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1747 ed.)

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A quotation from Twain

Remember this, take it to heart, live by it, die for it if necessary: that our patriotism is medieval, outworn, obsolete; that the modern patriotism, the true patriotism, the only rational patriotism is loyalty to the nation ALL the time, loyalty to the Government when it deserves it.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
Story (1905-02-02), “The Czar’s Soliloquy,” North American Review, Vol. 180, No. 580 (1905-03)

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A quotation from Bill Watterson

CALVIN: Isn’t it sad how some people’s grip on their lives is so precarious that they’ll embrace any preposterous delusion, rather than face an occasional bleak truth?

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1987-11-24)

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A quotation from Lyman Beecher

No great advance has been made in science, religion, or politics, without controversy.

Lyman Beecher (1775-1863) American minister, preacher, abolitionist
Sermon (1823-10-15), “The Faith Once Delivered to the Saints,” Worcester, Massachusetts

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A quotation from Bill Watterson

CALVIN: Hobbes, do you think our morality is defined by our actions, or by what’s in our hearts?
HOBBES: I think our actions show what’s in our hearts.
CALVIN: (after consideration) I resent that!

Bill Watterson (b. 1958) American cartoonist
Calvin and Hobbes (1990-10-18)

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A quotation from Hannah Arendt

The sad truth of the matter is that most evil is done by people who never made up their minds to be or do either evil or good.

Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) German-American philosopher, political theorist
Life of the Mind, Vol. 1 “Thinking,” Part 3, ch. 18 “The two-in-one” (1977)

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A quotation from Henry Commager

A nation which, in the name of loyalty or of patriotism or of a sincere and high-sounding idea, discourages criticism and dissent, and puts a premium on acquiescence and conformity, is headed for disaster.

Henry Steele Commager (1902-1998) American historian, writer, activist
Essay (1949-11-05), “What Ideas Are Safe?” Saturday Review

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A quotation from Lord Acton

I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favourable presumption that they did no wrong. If there is any presumption it is the other way against holders of power, increasing as the power increases. Historic responsibility has to make up for the want of legal responsibility. All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.

John Dalberg, Lord Acton (1834-1902) British historian, politician, writer
Letter (1887-04-05) to Mandell Creighton

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A quotation from Chuck Palahniuk

The murderer, the victim, the witness, each of us thinks our role is the lead.

Chuck Palahniuk (b. 1962) American novelist and freelance journalist
Invisible Monsters, ch. 1 (1999)

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