Carolyn Wells Quotes
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A critic is a necessary evil, and criticism is an evil necessity.
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Take care of your common sense, and your dignity will take care of itsself
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There are many ways of discarding books. You can give them to friends,--or enemies,--or to associations or to poor Southern libraries. But the surest way is to lend them. Then they never come back to bother you.
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... the subjective viewpoint is the only one to use regarding a library. Your true library is a collection of the books you want.You may have deplorably poor taste or bad judgment. Never mind. Correct those traits before you exchange your books.
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I am more fond of achieving than striving. My theories must prove to be facts or be discarded as worthless. My efforts must soon be crowned with success, or discontinued.
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A living gale is better than a dead calm.
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A guilty conscience is the mother of invention.
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The way to do some things is to do them.
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musicians rarely have a sense of humour, at least, about themselves.
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Patriotism covers a multitude of sins.
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I view askance a book that remains undisturbed for a year. Oughtn't it to have a ticket of leave? I think I may safely say no bookin my library remains unopened a year at a time, except my own works and Tennyson's.
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Youth is a silly, vapid state, Old age with fears and ills is rife, This simple boon I beg of Fate - A thousand years of Middle Life.
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I don't believe the half I hear, Nor the quarter of what I see! But I have one faith, sublime and true, That nothing can shake or slay; Each spring I firmly believe anew All the seed catalogues say!
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I have always hated biography, and more especially, autobiography. If biography, the writer invariably finds it necessary to plaster the subject with praises, flattery and adulation and to invest him with all the Christian graces. If autobiography, the same plan is followed, but the writer apologizes for it.
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Every dogma must have its day.
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Reward is its own virtue.
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You wouldn't believe On All Hallow Eve What lots of fun we can make, With apples to bob, And nuts on the hob, And a ring-and-thimble cake.
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To make a library It takes two volumes And a fire. Two volumes and a fire, And interest. The interest alone will do If logs are few.
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A blunder at the right moment is better than cleverness at the wrong time.
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Invitation is the sincerest flattery.