''When in doubt, attribute quotes to Mark Twain.'' -- MarkTwain
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An AmericanAuthor. Grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. Lived 1835-1910. Real name is Samuel Clemens.

'Mark Twain' is the depth of water at which a steamboat can safely navigate - 12 feet.

Mark Twain was born with Halley's comet and died with Halley's comet

Books include TheAdventuresOfHuckleberryFinn, TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer,
ConnecticutYankeeAtKingArthursCourt.

And some satirical observations on the GermanLanguage.

He also said ''Always do right. This will gratify some and astonish others.''

From CommonSense (line attributed to MarkTwain): 

''"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."''

"Anybody can quit smoking. I myself have done it hundreds of times."

"A man who carries a cat by the tail will learn something he can learn in no other way."

"I never let my schooling get in the way of my education."
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As with other famous figures who made numerous quotable witticisms, many quotes are misattributed to MarkTwain. This also happens with Einstein, Oscar Wilde, Dorothy Parker, Disraeli, and others. The implication is that attributions to such figures tend to be a little more suspicious than otherwise, and bear double checking.

Having the entire works of an author online via Project Gutenberg will help.

Much of RobertHeinlein's writing seems to reveal a bad case of Twain-envy (occasionaly complicated by eruptions of Post Kipling Stress Disorder).
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