FORTUNE & FATE
Quotes
1
Bad times have a scientific value . . . . We learn geology the morning after the earthquake.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
2
There is only one genuine misfortune: not to be born.
— Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
3
The man with the real sense of humor is the man who can put himself in the spectator’s place and laugh at his own misfortune.
— Bert Williams
4
No man is content with his fortune, nor discontent with his intellect.
— Madame Antionette Deshouli res
5
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would be in.
— Mark Twain
6
Name the greatest of all the inventors. Accident.
— Mark Twain
7
I think we consider too much the good luck of the early bird, and not enough the bad luck of the early worm.
— Franklin D. Roosevelt
8
Oil is seldom found where it is most needed, and seldom most needed where it is found.
— L. E. J. Brouwer
9
To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself.
— Albert Einstein
10
I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however the act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.
— G. K. Chesterton
11
Lots of folks confuse bad management with destiny.
— Kin Hubbard
12
With luck on your side you can do without brains.
— Giordano Bruno
13
As long as we are lucky we attribute it to our smartness; our bad luck we give the gods credit for.
— Josh Billings
14
I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.
— Stephen Butler Leacock
15
Luck is the residue of design.
— Branch Rickey
16
Depend upon the rabbit’s foot if you will, but remember it didn’t work for the rabbit!
— R. E. Shay
17
Luck is not something you can mention in the presence of self-made men.
— E. B. White
18
If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap, whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and depart.
— Solon
19
Can anybody remember when the times were not hard and money not scarce?
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
20
It is a very bad thing to become accustomed to good luck.
— Publilius Syrus
21
Fortune gives too much to many, but enough to none.
— Martial, first century A.D.
22
Luck never made a man wise.
— Seneca the Younger
23
May you live all the days of your life.
— Jonathan Swift
24
A flock of blessings light upon thy back.
— William Shakespeare
25
The harder you work, the luckier you get.
— Gary Player
26
No man can escape his fate.
— Sophocles
Sayings
1
Better to be born lucky than rich.
2
Not all luck is good, and not all good is luck.
3
Lucky at cards, unlucky in love.
4
Many a live wire would be a dead one except for his connections.
Joke
When Doug come in for the results of his routine physical, the doctor said gently, “Doug, you’d better sit down. I’ve got some good news and some bad news.” “Okay,” said Doug, taking a seat, “give me the bad news first.”
“Well,” said the doctor, “you’ve got cancer. It’s spreading at an unbelievable rate, it’s totally inoperable, and you’ve only got three weeks to live.”
“Jesus!” gasped Doug, wiping the sweat off his brow. “What the hell’s the good news?”
“You know that really gorgeous receptionist out in the front office?”
“You bet!” answered Doug.
“The one with the body that won’t quit?”
“Right.”
“And the blond hair and big baby blues— “
”Yeah, yeah,” interrupted Doug. “Where’s the good news?”
Leaning forward, the doctor announced with a grin, “I’m sleeping with her!”