Tuesday, July 3, 2007

The Gentle Cynic c. 1907

From the June 30, 1907 NYT:


  • In some circles a gentleman is a man who gets drunk with a dress suit on.
  • He who has implicit faith in his fellow man is apt to lose that faith with his umbrella.
  • We all appreciate the good things of life; but few of us want to be the "good things."
  • The egoist is the first to recognize egotism in those who pay no attention to him.
  • A man is a failure when he is willing to sell his experience for less than he paid for it.
  • There's a lot of difference between what we think we know and what we know we think.
  • When a fellow has money to burn, it is natural for the rest of us to make light of his fortune.
  • Old friends are like old shoes. They are very comfortable, but we are sometimes ashamed of their shabbiness.

  • Lifted in toto from Division of Labor