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Never Quotes

Quotes on what never happens.

This page gathers quotes centered on absence and limits - books that stayed unpublished, and a pointed line arguing that secrecy is fundamentally undesirable, merely tolerated when unavoidable. Related reading includes Life Quotes.

It is almost the definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain.

Quotes by John Henry Newman

It is very difficult to get up resentment towards persons whom one has never seen.

Quotes by John Henry Newman

If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable... we must be content to creep along the ground, and never soar.

Quotes by John Henry Newman

At one level, SXSW exemplifies serendipity, because whenever I come, I get these unexpected meetings with people I never knew existed, and you couldn't have planned it. But by making the choice to come to SXSW, I'm increasing the probability...

Quotes by John Hagel III

Treason doth never prosper, what's the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it Treason.

Quotes by John Harington

That inner narrative - the desire to understand the way I am - never really switches off.

Quotes by John Grant

Beauty seen is never lost, God's colors all are fast.

Quotes by John Greenleaf Whittier

Being a professional screenwriter is perhaps the hardest occupation. Because nothing is ever yours and, by the nature of the medium, you are never ultimately responsible for your work. It can be interesting - if you have another outlet.

Quotes by John Gregory Dunne

Unlike Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, Jackie Robinson never tried to convert himself into an acceptable black man.

Quotes by John Gregory Dunne

Some of us learned in a school of philosophy which taught that all was for the common good and nothing for oneself and have never, in any case, regarded the pursuit of happiness as anything other than an aberration of...

Quotes by John Grierson

I seriously doubt I would ever have written the first story had I not been a lawyer. I never dreamed of being a writer. I wrote only after witnessing a trial.

Quotes by John Grisham

I grew up in a very small, close-knit, Southern Baptist family, where everything was off-limits. So I couldn't wait to get to college and have some fun. And I did for the first two years. And I regret a lot...

Quotes by John Grisham

When you work at street level you never know who's going to walk through your door.

Quotes by John Grisham

I'm not in favor of the death penalty. But I'm in favor of locking these people away in maximum security units where they can never get out. They can never escape. They can never be paroled. Lock the bad ones...

Quotes by John Grisham

I have never been a social lion; I was misidentified as one because I have a very attractive second wife.

Quotes by John Gutfreund

I was never one for multi-cameras; my approach was always... I always considered there was only one place to be to do a shot.

Quotes by John Glen

To me, we have never really exploited our ability in low-Earth orbit.

Quotes by John Glenn

I knew I could make it in Cebu, but I never thought I could make it in Manila.

Quotes by John Gokongwei

I only take vitamin B complex. Before World War II, I used to take ionized yeast, because in the pre-war era we never heard about vitamins.

Quotes by John Gokongwei

I'd bowled a lot, but I never really had proper lessons.

Quotes by John Goodman

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of quotes are gathered under "Never"?
These quotes explore things that haven't happened, aren't wanted, or weren't anticipated — unpublished books that never found a marketing angle, the idea that secrets are "never desirable" even when needed, and a reflection on how it "never occurred" to anyone that private conversation might need protecting.
Are these quotes mostly about regret?
Not exactly regret, more observation — noticing gaps, oversights, or things that didn't come to pass, like unpublished books or an unanticipated need for privacy protections.
Is there a quote about problem-solving here?
Yes — one notes that "people constantly face problems they've never seen before" and have to improvise solutions, which is a nice contrast to the other, more resigned quotes on this page.
How is "Never" different from <a href="/always-quotes">Always</a> quotes?
They're natural opposites — "Always" quotes are about consistency and long-held habits, while "Never" quotes are about absence, gaps, and things that haven't happened.
What should I read if I want something more upbeat?
Good quotes or Like quotes lean lighter, while "Never" quotes tend to be more contemplative. For a broader reflective read, Life quotes is also worth checking.

Other quotes touch on constitutional rights never explicitly written down, and the constant stream of new problems people have never faced before. See also Always Quotes and Good Quotes.