GEORGE ADE QUOTES
American writer (1866-1944)
The serpent is helpless unless he finds an apple to work with.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Compound Fracture", Hand-Made Fables
If a man does not go about his work with enthusiasm, it means that he has not yet found a work that he likes. Every mortal is a busy bee when he comes to the task that Destiny has set aside for him.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Old Fox and the Young Fox", True Bills
The first sign of extravagance is to buy trousers that one does not need.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Old Fox and the Young Fox", True Bills
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but would not cost half as much during the winter months.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Old Fox and the Young Fox", True Bills
A bird in the hand may be worth two in the bush, but remember also that a bird in the hand is a positive embarrassment to one not in the poultry business.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Old Fox and the Young Fox", True Bills
Nothing is improbable until it moves into past tense.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Polite Poison Counter", Hand-Made Fables
A little learning is a dangerous thing and a good deal of it is suffocating.
GEORGE ADE
"The Juvenile and Mankind", Knocking the Neighbors
Those who are entitled to it get it sooner or later.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Grass Widow and the Mesmeree and the Six Dollars", More Fables
Some are born great; some achieve greatness, and others have it pinned on them.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Rise and Flight of the Winged Insect", Hand-Made Fables
One smell of brimstone makes the whole world kin.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of How the Canny Commercial Salesman Guessed the Combination", True Bills
I got the breaks. Starting from nowhere in the corn belt, I helped edit a country weekly, then was jack-of-all-departments on an obscure daily, so that when I arrived in a big city everything I tackled in the line of column conducting and syndicate peddling and playwriting had to bring promotion, because I had no social standing which could be endangered, no reputation to toss away and no pride which might suffer a setback. Everything I acquired had to be velvet. You cannot lose your silver spoon if you are brought up on pewter.
GEORGE ADE
letter to Ashton Stevens, Apr. 30, 1930
Opportunity knocks once at every man's door and then keeps on knocking.
GEORGE ADE
"The Undecided Bachelor", Knocking the Neighbors
One man's poison ivy is another fellow's spinach.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Brand that was Plucked and Got Cold", Hand-Made Fables
The wealthy have nothing left except money.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Misdirected Sympathy and the Come-Back of the Proud Steam-Fitter", True Bills
Those who have tried meekness know the importance of being important.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Two Ways of Going Out After the Pay Envelope", True Bills
Where ignorance is not bliss, get wise!
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Hard-Up Yeoman", Hand-Made Fables
Every man is the architect of his own fortunes, but the neighbors superintend the construction.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of What They Hankered For and What Was Delivered to Them", Hand-Made Fables
Anybody can win, unless there happens to be a second entry.
GEORGE ADE
Fables in Slang
After being turned down by numerous publishers, he decided to write for posterity.
GEORGE ADE
"The Fable of the Bohemian Who Had Hard Luck", Fables in Slang
The only city people are those born so.
GEORGE ADE
"The New Fable of the Lonesome Camp on the Frozen Heights", Ade's Fables