The Note Books Of Samuel Butler

Lord, What is Man ? n

vi

Life is a superstition. But superstitions are not without
their value. The snail's shell is a superstition, slugs Kay&n<^
shells and thrive just as well But a snail without a sMl:
would not be a slug unless it had also the slug's indifference
to a shell.

vii

Life is one long process of getting tired.

viii
My days run through me as water through a sieve.

ix

x Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from in-
sufficient premises.

x

Life is eight parts cards and two parts play, the unseen
world is made manifest to us in the play.

xi

Lizards generally seem to have lost their tails by the time
they reach middle life. So have most men.

xii

A sense of humour keen enough to show a man his own
absurdities, as well as those of other people, will keep him
from the commission of all sins, or nearly all, save those
that are worth committing.

xiii

Life is like music, it must be composed by ear, feeling
and instinct, not by rule. Nevertheless one had better know
the rules, for they sometimes guide in doubtful cases—though
not often.

xiv

There are two great rules of life, the one general and the
other particular. The first is that every one can, in the end,
get what he wants if he only tries. This is the general rule.
The particular rule is that every individual is, more or less,
an exception to the general rule.