Robert Green Ingersoll
Robert Green Ingersoll
Robert Green "Bob" Ingersollwas an American lawyer, a Civil War veteran, political leader, and orator of the United States during the Golden Age of Free Thought, noted for his broad range of culture and his defense of agnosticism. He was nicknamed "The Great Agnostic"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionLawyer
Date of Birth11 August 1833
CountryUnited States of America
against good matter rascals stand testimony
A good character, like a Gibraltar, will stand against the testimony of all the rascals in the universe, no matter how they assail it. It will stand, and it will stand firmer and grander the more it is assaulted.
doors easy fill home house illuminate stream windows
When you go home, fill the house with joy so that the light of it will stream out the windows and doors and illuminate even the darkness. It is just as easy that way as any in the world.
gave loves man others sacred seeks shines torch truth voltaire
Voltaire lighted a torch and gave to others the sacred flame. The light still shines and will as long as man loves liberty and seeks for truth.
freedom invented lowest simplest useful
Freedom has invented every useful machine, from the lowest to the highest, from the simplest to the most complex.
intelligence seems
There can be goodness without much intelligence - but it seems to me that perfect intelligence and perfect goodness must go together.
facts far nature principles reasons
So far as I am concerned, I think more of reasons than of reputations, more of principles than of persons, more of nature than of names, more of facts than of faiths.
cowards express infinite
I say, let us think. Let each one express his thought. Let us become investigators, not followers, not cringers and crawlers. If there is in Heaven an infinite being, he never will be satisfied with the worship of cowards and hypocrites.
believe everybody
I believe in living for this world - that's my doctrine - to make everybody happy that you can.
constantly form man nature suspects suspicion whenever
Suspicion is only another form of cowardice. The man who suspects constantly suspects because he is afraid. Whenever you find a man with a free, frank, generous, brave nature, you will find that man without suspicion.
great men truth women
The truth is that all great men have had great mothers. Great women have had, as a rule, great fathers.
nor
The place does not make the man, nor the sceptre the king. Greatness is from within.
fascinates gives great man mind please suppress writers
The great man who gives a true transcript of his mind fascinates and instructs. Most writers suppress individuality. They wish to please the public.
himself loves marries simply whoever
Whoever marries simply for himself will make a mistake; but whoever loves a woman so well that he says, 'I will make her happy,' makes no mistake. And so with the woman who says, 'I will make him happy.'
bottom gave life shall thank whether
Whether there is another life or not, if there is any being who gave me this, I shall thank him from the bottom of my heart, because, upon the whole, my life has been a joy.