Owen Wister Quotes & Sayings

Forgive my asking you to use your mind. It is a thing which no novelist should expect of his reader ... — Owen Wister

Said Aristotle unto Plato, 'Have another sweet potato?' Said Plato unto Aristotle, 'Thank you, I prefer the bottle.' — Owen Wister

Like Adam, our first conspicuous ancestor, I must begin, and lay the blame upon a woman; I am glad to recognize that I differ from the father of my sex in no important particular, being as manlike as most of his sons. — Owen Wister

When you can't have what you choose, you just choose what you have. — Owen Wister

When a man ain't got no ideas of his own, he'd ought to be kind o' careful who he borrows 'em from. — Owen Wister

But no earthly foot can step between a man and his destiny. — Owen Wister

When yu' can't have what you choose, yu' just choose what you have. — Owen Wister

It was neither preaching nor praying that made a better man of me, but one or two people who believed in me better than I deserved, and I hated to disappoint them. — Owen Wister

I reckon some parsons have a right to tell yu' to be good. The bishop of this hyeh Territory has a right. But I'll tell yu' this: a middlin' doctor is a pore thing, and a middlin' lawyer is a pore thing; but keep me from a middlin' man of God. — Owen Wister

In the United States 'First' and 'Second' class can't be painted on railroad cars, for all passengers, being Americans, are equal and it would be 'unAmerican.' But paint 'Pullman' on a car and everyone is satisfied. — Owen Wister

It may be that them whose pleasure brings you into this world owes you a living, but it don't mean the world is responsible. — Owen Wister

An aristocrat in morals as in mind. — Owen Wister

You are speakin' low like me," he answered. "But we have no dream we can wake from — Owen Wister

With a gun against my belly I ... I always smile. — Owen Wister

I thought there should in truth be heavy damages for malpractice on human souls. — Owen Wister