Mark Twain Quotes

Whatever one of us blames in another, each one will find in his own heart.

Every one speaks well of his own heart, but no one dares speak well of his own mind.

It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us. This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good heart whatever they might have to say.

Let me look at the foulness and ugliness of my body. Let me see myself as an ulcerous sore running with every horrible and disgusting poison.

Man shouldn’t be able to see his own face – there’s nothing more sinister. Nature gave him the gift of not being able to see it, and of not being able to stare into his own eyes. Only in the water of rivers and ponds could he look at his face. And the very posture he had to assume was symbolic. He had to bend over, stoop down, to commit the ignominy of beholding himself. The inventor of the mirror poisoned the human heart.

I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am.

The sight of one's own heart is degrading; people are not meant to look inward - that's why they've been given bodies, to hide their souls.

Were we to undertake an exhaustive self-scrutiny, disgust would paralyze us, we would be doomed to a thankless existence.

Every man carries with him through life a mirror, as unique and impossible to get rid of as his shadow.

Who teach the mind its proper face to scan, And hold the faithful mirror up to man.

Look in the mirror. The face that pins you with its double gaze reveals a chastening secret.

Ultimately, I'm not so sure that, as a person, I'm all that interesting.

I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am.

If I can avoid looking at myself, I will. I don't care to examine myself or see much of what I do. I never care how I look.

I'm extremely self-critical. Although I try not to be ridiculous about it, wearing horsehair shirts and all that. It's a private exercise I don't necessarily share with other people.

I was never my favourite subject.

I find it difficult to watch myself... I find it boring.

Many a time I have wanted to stop talking and find out what I really believed.

In truth, to know oneself seems to be the hardest of all things. Not only our eye, which observes external objects, does not use the sense of sight upon itself, but even our mind, which contemplates intently another's sin, is slow in the recognition of its own defects.

I'm not good at watching myself.

If you think my music is sentimental and self-absorbed, I agree with you.

I am sure of nothing so little as my own intentions.

When I look in the mirror, I am slightly reminded of self-portraits by Durer and by Rembrandt, because they both show a degree of introspection. I see some element of disappointment; I see a sense of humour, but also something that is faintly ridiculous; and I see somebody who is frightened of being found out and thought lightweight.

Every person is observant of the flaws of others and blind to his own flaws.

Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves. They cannot talk about themselves without embellishing