Henry S. Haskins (1875 – 1957)
Stockbroker and man of letters.
It is not so much tutoring that the minds needs, but clearer recognition and better use of what it already knows.
Discontent follows ambition like a shadow.
Be a sincere effort never so misguided, to laugh at it is a breach of faith with decency.
The darkness around us might somewhat light up if we would first practice using the light we have on the place we are.
We condemn a sin before we have even tried it.
Good behavior is the last refuge of mediocrity.
We have to serve ourselves for many years before we gain our own confidence.
When you think of the silly things people have said to you which have stopped you from saying the same silly things, you simply can’t do justice to your gratitude.
Contentment has been worn as a crown by no end of sleepy heads.
Many of us are impersonations of what we know we ought to be.
We cannot be too earnest, too persistent, too determined, about living superior to the herd instinct.
Vacant minds have their uses, yet it seems a pity to waste first-class bodies on them.
It would be as natural for a full-grown tiger to mew as for a man released from the slavery of imitations ever to go back to his neighbor again with: “What do you think of this? What do you advise about that?”
There is not an ounce of our former strength which is not doing some sort of job, right now.
Man is sadly retarded by allowable imperfections.
If someone offers to furnish a sure test, ask what the test was which made the sure test sure.
Academic questions are interlopers in a world where so few of the real ones have been answered.
Twenty is in hot haste to become a year older and cast its first vote, which Forty will know was cast like the legendary pearls.
The man who has a dogmatic creed has more time left for his business.
Tradition supplants inspiration with the warmed-over article.