Horatio Alger Jr. > Quotes

“There are many boys, and men too, who, like Micky Maguire, have never had a fair chance in life. Let us remember that, when we judge them, and not be too hasty to condemn.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., The Complete "Ragged Dick" Series

“The tyrant is always in danger of losing his hold upon the victim when the latter begins to think.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“It is the first fashionable party I ever attended." "Well," said Dick, "I haven't attended many. When I was a boot-black I found it interfered with my business, and so I always declined all the fashionable invitations I got.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“I mean to turn over a new leaf, and try to grow up "'spectable”
― Horatio Alger Jr.

“The difference between the rich merchant and the ragged fellow who solicits his charity as he is stepping into his carriage, consists, frequently, not in natural ability, but in the fact that the one has used his ability as a stepping-stone to success, and the other has suffered his to become stagnant, through indolence, or dissipation.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“Now, good clothes exert more influence upon the wearer than we might at first suppose. So it was with Tom.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Tattered Tom: Or, the Story of a Street Arab

“Do you believe niggers go to de same heaven wid w'ite folks, missus?" asked Chloe, after a pause.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Frank's Campaign, or, Farm and Camp

“If at first you don’t succeed, Try, try again!”
― Horatio Alger Jr., The Horatio Alger MEGAPACK®: 70 Classic Works

“Once more she felt that she had a home, humble enough, to be sure, but made attractive by kindness.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Tattered Tom: Or, the Story of a Street Arab

“Seek all knowledge, however trifling," says an eminent author, "and there will come a time when you can make use of it.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., From Canal Boy to President Or the Boyhood and Manhood of James A. Garfield

“If his employment is an honest one, it is an honorable one.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“That Tom should be very conscientious on the subject of truth could hardly be expected.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Tattered Tom: Or, the Story of a Street Arab

“To Tom, who was a true child of the city, who had rarely seen green grass, since the round of her life had been spent within a short distance of City Hall Park, it seemed strange. She wondered how it would seem to live in the country, and rather thought she should not like it.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Tattered Tom: Or, the Story of a Street Arab

“Poor Tom began to regret that she had experienced anything better, since it seemed doubtful whether she would ever again be satisfied with a street life.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Tattered Tom: Or, the Story of a Street Arab

“I shall be satisfied with less," said his mother. "Wealth alone will not yield happiness." "Still it is very comfortable to have it." "No doubt, if it is properly acquired." "If I am ever rich, mother, you may be sure that I shall not be ashamed of the manner in which I became so." "I hope not, Paul.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“FAME AND FORTUNE;”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick, Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks

“Dick may have been lucky," said Mr. Rockwell, "but I generally find that luck comes oftenest to those who deserve it. If you will try to raise yourself I will help you.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“It’s the News-boys’ Lodgin’ House, on Fulton Street,” said Dick, “up over the ’Sun’ office. It’s a good place. I don’t know what us boys would do without it. They give you supper for six cents, and a bed for five cents more.”

“I suppose some boys don’t even have the five cents to pay,–do they?”

“They’ll trust the boys,” said Dick. “But I don’t like to get trusted. I’d be ashamed to get trusted for five cents, or ten either.”
― Horatio Alger Jr.

“There seemed a popular sentiment in favor of employing boys, and Tom, like others of her sex, found herself shut out from an employment for which she considered herself fitted.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Tattered Tom: Or, the Story of a Street Arab

“The rowdy looked at the boy who confronted him. Edward was slightly smaller, but there was a determined look in his eye which the bully, who, like those of his class generally, was a coward at heart, did not like. He mentally decided that it would be safer not to provoke him.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“gamesters,”
― Horatio Alger Jr., The Ragged Dick Series: Volume 1 - Ragged Dick / Fame and Fortune

“It was my money that you spent. You are a thief!” Phil felt that this was a hard word, which he did not deserve. The money was earned by himself, though claimed by the padrone. But he did not venture to say this. It would have been revolutionary. He thought it prudent to be silent.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“it is a custom among the more enterprising street boys, who are capitalists to a small amount, to set up their more needy fellows in business, on condition that they will pay half their earnings to the said capitalists as a profit on the money advanced. This is called "going whacks." It need hardly be said that it is a very profitable operation to the young capitalist, often paying fifty per cent. daily on his loan,—a transaction which quite casts into the shade the most tempting speculations of Wall Street. It is noteworthy that these young Bohemians, lawless as they often are, have a strict code of honor in regard to such arrangements, and seldom fail to make honest returns, setting a good example in so far to older business operators.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“I hope my young readers will not infer that I am an advocate of fighting. It can hardly help being brutal under any circumstances; but where it is never resorted to except to check ruffianism, as in the case of my young hero, it is less censurable.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., Ragged Dick : Complete Series (10 books) - Ragged Dick, Fame and Fortune, Mark the Match Boy, Rough and Ready and many more

“CHAPTER XII. IN SAN FRANCISCO.”
― Horatio Alger Jr., The Young Explorer

“of stories”
― Horatio Alger Jr., The Complete "Ragged Dick" Series