E.E. "Doc" Smith Quotes

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.

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.

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.

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.

he was plunging deeper and deeper into the paroxysmally ecstatic profundity of a thionite debauch from which there was to be no awakening.

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?

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.

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

not for the fractional second necessary for inertialess flight could the two win clear. Then Kinnison sent out his SOS. "A Lensman calling help! A Lensman calling help!" he broadcast with the full power of mind and Lens, and Immediately a sharp, clear voice poured into his brain. "Coming, wearer of the Lens!

A man swears to keep from crying, a woman cries to keep from swearing.

thinking is an exercise to which far too few brains are accustomed

Who is to watch the watchmen?

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.

They did not ask him why he wanted that data. They may have wondered at his temerity in daring to scout alone a fortress whose strength had kept at bay the massed Patrol forces of the sector, but if they did so they kept their thoughts well screened. For this was a Gray Lensman, and very evidently a super–powered individual, even of that select group whose weakest members were powerful indeed.