Josh Billings
Josh Billings
Josh Billings was the pen name of 19th-century American humorist Henry Wheeler Shaw. He was a famous humor writer and lecturer in the United States, perhaps second only to Mark Twain, during the latter half of the 19th century...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth21 April 1818
CityLanesborough, MA
CountryUnited States of America
successful simple lasts
Successful writers learn at last what they should learn at first,--to be intelligently simple.
fool mouths daggers
Fools carry their daggers in their open mouths.
risk caution
Caution, though very often wasted is a good risk to take.
jobs men self
Self-made men are most always apt to be a little too proud of the job.
wise confidence men
Wise men have but few confidants, and cunning ones none.
clothes form intellect
Clothes form the intellect of the dandy.
doctors sick healthy
It is not much trouble to doctor sick folks, but to doctor healthy ones is troublesome.
convince-us desire praise
Our continual desire for praise ought to convince us of our mortality, if nothing else will.
revenge heart passion
There is no passion of the human heart that promises so much and pays so little as revenge.
envy twins rivalry
Rivalry and envy are Siamese twins.
fall failing wave
Waves are inspiring not because they rise and fail, but because each time they fall. They never fail to rise again.
running coquette fortune
Fortune is like a coquette; if you don't run after her, she will run after you.
years fancy admiration
Admiration is a youthful fancy will which scarcely ever survives to mature years.
happiness perfect belief
The nearest we can come to) perfect happiness is to cheat ourselves with the belief that we have got it.