Right actions in the future are the best apologies for bad actions
in the past.

—Tryon Edwards

future mistakes past regret apology

About Tryon Edwards

Portrait of Tryon Edwards

Tryon Edwards (7 August 1809, Hartford, Conn. – 4 January 1894, Detroit, Mich.) was an American theologian, minister of the Second Congregational Church in New London, Connecticut, from 1845 to 1857, after having served in Rochester, New York. He was best known for his collection of quotations, A Dictionary of...

More quotations from Tryon Edwards

Teaching is not a lost art, but regard for teaching is a lost tradition.

—Tryon Edwards

For the sense of smell, almost more than any other, has the power to recall memories and it is a pity that you use it so little.

—Tryon Edwards

If you would know anything thoroughly, teach it to others.

—Tryon Edwards in A Dictionary of Thoughts

learning knowledge teaching

More quotations tagged with “apology”

Love is never having to say you're sorry.' What a crock. Love is constantly saying you're sorry, even when you know damn well you're right.

—Kim Gruenenfelder in A Total Waste of Makeup

love relationships apology

Never ruin an apology with an excuse.

—Kimberly Johnson

regret apology excuses

The most absurd apology for authority and law is that they serve to diminish crime. Aside from the fact that the State is itself the greatest criminal, breaking every written and natural law, stealing in the form of taxes, killing in the form of war and capital punishment, it has come to an absolute standstill in coping with crime.

—Emma Goldman

war law apology authority crime taxes capital punishment

Each of us, we humans, if we are to look our own kind in the eye, should at least be willing to say we’re sorry, that all over our smaller and more lethal planet, whatever the causes, we’re still killing our own kind—the same but different, but our own kind nonetheless.

—Thomas Lynch

war apology compromise death killing

History

24 Feb 2013 Added
26 Oct 2026 Wording changed

Previous wording

Right actions in the future are the best apologies for bad actions
in the past.