E.E. "Doc" Smith Quotes

it has been argued that sexual equality is the most important criterion of that which we know as Civilization.

The witnesses may be excused. Truth is the only thing of importance here, and witnesses, being human and therefore frail, obstruct truth more frequently than they further its progress.

How could he explain beauty, or music, or art, to this . . . this matriarchal savage? How explain cerise to a man born blind? And above all, who had ever heard of having to explain to a woman — to any woman, anywhere in the whole macrocosmic universe — that she in particular was beautiful?

Life force. I would have lots of that, of course." She did not blush, but Kit did. "Life force" was a pitifully inadequate term indeed for that which Civilization's only Lensman–mother had in such measure, but they both knew what it was.

Her hair was a brilliant green. So was her spectacularly filled halter.

Near them there crouched or huddled or lay at ease a many-tentacled creature indescribable to man. It was not like an octopus. Though spiny, it did not resemble at all closely a sea-cucumber. Nor, although it was scaly and toothy and wingy, was it, save in the vaguest possible way, similar to a lizard, a sea-serpent or a vulture. Such a description by negatives is, of course, pitifully inadequate; but, unfortunately, it is the best that can be done.

With the restriction of government to its proper sphere and its concentration into our organization, resulting in the liberation of man-power into wealth-producing enterprise, and especially with the enormous growth of inter-world commerce, world-income increased to such a point that taxation could be reduced to a minimum; and the lower the taxes the more flourishing business became and the greater the income.

the first time in North America's long history, a presidential election was ninety nine and ninety nine one-hundredths percent pure!

Politicians only," Helen reported, after a moment's manipulation of the suddenly familiar instrument. "They need killing, of course, on general principles, but perhaps we shouldn't take time for that now. The next place to look is a few degrees east of north of here." Cleonie was not, however, in that city.

It's much better technique to learn things among friends than enemies," Kinnison laughed.

There never was no court yet that didn't take orders from the big shots who keep the fat cats fat,_and lawyers are the crookedest 'damn crooks in the universe.

Get this — engrave it in big type right on the top–side inside of your thick skull — what we want is INFORMATION, not mere liquidation. Next time you get hold of such a big shot as Kandron must have been, don't kill him until either: first, you get some leads as to who or what the real head of the outfit is; or, second, you make sure that he doesn't know. Then kill him all you want to, but FIND OUT WHAT HE KNOWS FIRST. Have I made myself clear this time?

Why axes? Why not Lewistons, or rifles, or pistols? Because the space armor of that day could withstand almost indefinitely the output of two or three hand-held projectors; because the resistance of its defensive fields varied directly as the cube of the velocity of any material projectile encountering them. Thus, and strangely enough, the advance of science had forced the re-adoption of that long-extinct weapon.

I know they shot first, they always do, but how does that change things?

You love and worship power. Why? To any thinking mind it should be clear that such a lust intrinsically is, and forever must by its very nature be, futile. For, even if any one of you could command the entire material Universe, what good would it do him? None. What would he have? Nothing. Not even the satisfaction of accomplishment, for that lust is in fact insatiable — it would then turn upon itself and feed upon itself.