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
wise men profit
It's a wise man who profits by his own experience, but it's a good deal wiser one who lets the rattlesnake bite the other fellow.
wise men want
It is true that wealth won't make a man virtuous, but I notice there ain't anybody who wants to be poor just for the purpose of being good.
wise men thinking
What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul I suppose this depends somewhat upon the size of the soul. I think there are cases where the trade would do.
cows milk
Keep a cow, and the milk won't have to be watered but once.
lying funny-business known
I've never known an auctioneer to lie unless it was absolutely necessary.
latin significant wit
There is a significant Latin proverb; to wit: Who will guard the guards?
biographies form
Biography is the best form of history.
perseverance kings
Perseverance is king.
cost pity
Pity costs nothing, and it ain't worth nothing.
prejudice assuming cheat
Prejudice assumes the garb of reason, but the cheat is too thin.
men conservative radical
If a man is right, he can't be too radical; if he is wrong, he can't be too conservative.
men wrinkles habit
Habits are like the wrinkles on a man's brow; if you will smooth out the one, I will smooth out the other.
missing together world
The lion and the lamb may, possibly, sumtime lay down in this world together for a fu minnits, but when the lion kums tew git up, the lamb will be missing.
men asking sin
It iz comparitively eazy tew repent ov the sins that we hav committed, but tew repent ov thoze which we intend to commit, is asking tew mutch ov enny man, now days.