Truth By Mark Twain Quotes & Sayings

These descriptions do really state the truth- as nearly as the limitations of language will allow. But language is a treacherous thing, a most unsure vehicle, and it can seldom arrange descriptive words in such a way that they will not inflate the facts-by help of the readers imagination, which is always ready to take a hand, and work for nothing, and do the bulk of it at that. — Mark Twain

I don't mind what the opposition say of me so long as they don't tell the truth about me. But when they descend to telling the truth about me I consider that this is taking an unfair advantage. — Mark Twain

Manners!" he said. "Why, it is merely the truth, and truth is good manners; manners are a fiction. The castle is done. Do you like it? — Mark Twain

The truth is a precious commodity. That's why I use it so sparingly. — Mark Twain

History is strewn thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill, but a lie, well told, is immortal. — Mark Twain

We are always hearing of people who are around seeking after the Truth. I have never seen a (permanent) specimen. I think he has never lived. But I have seen several entirely sincere people who thought they were (permanent) Seekers after the Truth. They sought diligently, persistently, carefully, cautiously, profoundly, with perfect honesty and nicely adjusted judgment- until they believed that without doubt or question they had found the Truth. That was the end of the search. The man spent the rest of his hunting up shingles wherewith to protect his Truth from the weather. — Mark Twain

To avoid being drawn into error, keep a firm grip on the truth. — Mark Twain

Familiarity breeds contempt. How accurate that is. The reason we hold truth in such respect is because we have so little opportunity to get familiar with it. — Mark Twain

Now, then, that is the tale. Some of it is true. — Mark Twain

Mark Twain is a voice of truth and a voice of equality and a voice of tolerance. Which means he is a voice of love. — Val Kilmer

You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth. That is nothing. I never seen anybody but lied one time or another, without it was Aunt Polly, or the widow, or maybe Mary. Aunt Polly - Tom's Aunt Polly, she is - and Mary, and the Widow Douglas is all told about in that book, which is mostly a true book, with some stretchers, as I said before. — Mark Twain

Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it. — Mark Twain

This nation is like all the others that have been spewed upon the earth
ready to shout for any cause that will tickle its vanity or fill its pocket. What a hell of a heaven it will be when they get all these hypocrites assembled there!
- Letter to J. H. Twichell, 1/29/1901 — Mark Twain

A little lie can travel half way 'round the world while Truth is still lacing up her boots. — Mark Twain

Why shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. — Mark Twain

An awkward, unscientific lie is often as ineffectual as the truth. — Mark Twain

We never read the full explanatory surroundings of marvelously exciting things when we have no occasion to suppose that some irresponsible scribbler is trying to defraud us; we skip all that, and hasten to revel in the blood-curdling particulars and be happy. — Mark Twain

A historian who would convey the truth must lie. Often he must enlarge the truth by diameters, otherwise his reader would not be able to see it. — Mark Twain

But it was ever thus, all through my life: whenever I have diverged from custom and principle and uttered a truth, the rule has been that the hearer hadn't strength of mind enough to believe it. — Mark Twain

I could see he meant no offense, but in my thoughts I set it down as not very good manners.
"Manners!" he said. "Why, it is merely the truth, and truth is good manners; manners are a fiction. — Mark Twain

It is not worth while to strain one's self to tell the truth to people who habitually discount everything you tell them, whether it is true or isn't. — Mark Twain

None but the dead are permitted to tell the truth. — Mark Twain

Truth is stranger than fiction-to some people, but I am measurably familiar with it. — Mark Twain

The Bible has noble poetry in it ... and some good morals and a wealth of obscenity, and upwards of a thousand lies. — Mark Twain

My own luck has been curious all my literary life; I never could tell a lie that anyone would doubt, nor a truth that anybody would believe. — Mark Twain

Always tell the truth; then you don't have to remember anything — Mark Twain

When ill luck begins, it does not come in sprinkles, but in showers. — Mark Twain

If I can capture truth in its simplest form, beauty will follow like a sledgehammer. — Mark Twain

There are three types of lies
lies, damn lies, and statistics. — Benjamin Disraeli

In truth I care little about any party's politics-the man behind it is the important thing. — Mark Twain

Among other common lies, we have the _silent_ lie
the deception which one conveys by simply keeping still and concealing the truth. Many obstinate truth-mongers indulge in this dissipation, imagining that if they _speak_ no lie, they lie not at all. — Mark Twain

OU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME WITHOUT YOU HAVE READ A BOOK BY THE name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth. That is nothing. I never seen anybody but lied one time or another, without it was Aunt Polly, or the widow, or maybe Mary. Aunt Polly - Tom's Aunt Polly, she is - and Mary, and the Widow Douglas is all told about in that book, which is mostly a true book, with some stretchers, as I said before. Now — Mark Twain

In writing, I shall always confine myself strictly to the truth, except when it is attended with inconvenience. — Mark Twain

A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar. — Mark Twain

When in doubt, tell the truth. That maxim I did invent, but never expected it to be applied to me. I did say, "When you are in doubt," but when I am in doubt myself I use more sagacity. — Mark Twain

There have been innumerable Temporary Seekers after the Truth-have you ever heard of a permanent one? — Mark Twain

Truth is such a precious article - let us all economize in its use. — Mark Twain

Those who say truth is stranger than fiction have wasted their time on poorly written fiction. — Mark Twain

I have not professionally dealt in truth. Many when they come to die have spent all the truth that was in them, and enter the next world as paupers. I have saved up enough to make an astonishment there. — Mark Twain

Never tell the truth to people who are not worthy of it. — Mark Twain