“I told [John Kruesi] I was going to record talking, and then have the machine talk back. He thought it absurd. However, it was finished, the foil was put on; I then shouted 'Mary had a little lamb', etc. I adjusted the reproducer, and the machine reproduced it perfectly.[On first words spoken on a phonograph.]”

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”

“Restlessness is discontent — and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man — and I will show you a failure.”

“Anything that won't sell, I don't want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.”

“I find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.”

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

“One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But... I continue to find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.”

“There's a way to do it better - find it.”

“To my mind the old masters are not art their value is in their scarcity.”

“To have a great idea, have a lot of them.”