A native of America who cannot read and write is as rare an appearance as a Jacobite or a Roman Catholic, that is, as rare as a comet or an earthquake. (John Adams)

A native of America who cannot read and write is as rare an appearance as a Jacobite or a Roman Catholic, that is, as rare as a comet or an earthquake.

Related topics

appearance catholic comet earthquake jacobite native rare read roman write america

Related quotes

Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can't read them either.

Gore Vidal

In America the majority raises formidable barriers around the liberty of opinion; within these barriers an author may write what he pleases, but woe to him if he goes beyond them.

Alexis de Tocqueville

I would sooner read a time-table or a catalogue than nothing at all. They are much more entertaining than half the novels that are written.

W. Somerset Maugham

I think the major good idea in Unix was its clean and simple interface: open, close, read, and write.

Ken Thompson

The artist doesn't have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews, the ones who want to write don't have the time to read reviews.

William Faulkner