Top 15 E.E. "Doc" Smith Quotes

Because America, being a democracy, could not strike first, but had to wait — wait in instant readiness — until she was actually attacked.

Working hypotheses, young man, must be based upon accurately determined facts; not upon mere guesses, superstitions, or figments of personal prejudices.

Something like elephantiasis, only worse, affecting both arms and both legs. Drastic amputations indicated. Eye-sockets. Burns. Multiple and compound fractures. Punctured and incised wounds. Traumatism, ecchymosis, extensive extravasations, oedema. Profound systemic shock. The prognosis, however, seems to be favorable,

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

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

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

There has always been, and will always be, the problem of surviving the experience that any trained expert can handle ... when there hasn't been any first survivor to become an expert.

That you can now be called adult does not mean you have achieved your full power, only that you are able to acquire other and larger powers.

Only loose-screwed space detectives, like me, and crackpot science-fiction writers, like Wacky Williamson, have noodles vacuous enough to harbor such thin ideas.

Afraid of spies with a sense of perception — Rigellians or Posenians or such. Just killed an Ordovik on general principles, over on the next block.

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.

First, there is nothing either intrinsically right or intrinsically wrong about liberty or slavery, democracy or autocracy, freedom of action or complete regimentation. It seems to us, however, that the greatest measure of happiness and of well-being for the greatest number of entities, and therefore the optimum advancement toward whatever sublime Goal it is toward which this cycle of existence is trending in the vast and unknowable Scheme of Things, is to be obtained by securing for each and every individual the greatest amount of mental and physical freedom compatible with the public welfare.

In the central sphere of one of the domes there sparkled several of the peculiarly radiant globes whose counterpart had given Kinnison so seriously to think, and near them there crouched or huddled or lay at ease a many-tentacled creature indescribable to man. It was not exactly 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.

if any one of you will concentrate upon one single fact, or small object, such as a pebble or the seed of a plant or other creature, for as short a period of time as one hundred of your years, you will begin to perceive its truth.

But the minions of the Law had one remaining weapon, carried expressly for this eventuality. The space–axe — a combination and sublimation of battle–axe, mace, bludgeon, and lumberman's picaroon, a massively needle–pointed implement of potentialities limited only by the physical strength and bodily agility of its wielder.