Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

—Abraham Lincoln

About Abraham Lincoln

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War, defeating the Confederacy and playing a major role in the abolition of slavery.

More quotations from Abraham Lincoln

Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

—Abraham Lincoln

The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.

—Abraham Lincoln

It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!

—Abraham Lincoln

Let me not be understood as saying that there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise for the redress of which no legal provisions have been made. I mean to say no such thing. But I do mean to say that although bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible, still, while they continue in force, for the sake of example they should be religiously observed.

—Abraham Lincoln

I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.

—Abraham Lincoln

More quotations tagged with “silence”

Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

—Abraham Lincoln

Silence is a text easy to misread.

—A. A. Attanasio

We're all capable of mistakes, but I do not care to enlighten you on the mistakes we may or may not have made.

silence mistakes

Death can sneak up on you like a silent kitten, surprising you with it's touch and you have a right to act surprised. Other times death stomps in the front door, unwanted and unannounced, and makes it's noisy way to your seat on the sofa.

—Hugh Elliott

silence death surprise

Silence is one of the great arts of conversation, as allowed by Cicero himself, who says, 'there is not only an art, but an eloquence in it.' A well bred woman may easily and effectually promote the most useful and elegant conversation without speaking a word. The modes of speech are scarcely more variable than the modes of silence.

—W. Somerset Maugham

silence conversation talking elegance

History

11 Jul 2015 Added