“The first hundred thousand—that was hard to get; but afterwards it was easy to make more.”
Quoted in James Parton (1865), Life of John Jacob Astor
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John Jacob Astor 2
German-American businessman 1763–1848Related quotes

“It's easy to make friends, but hard to get rid of them.”

“Easy writing makes hard reading.”
As quoted in Paris Was Our Mistress (1947) by Samuel Putnam, p. 128

“Give me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, then another thousand, then a second hundred, then yet another thousand, then a hundred.”
Da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
V, lines 8–7
Carmina

“I'll take it! If anything gets in my way, we'll shoot first and argue afterwards.”
On taking responsibility for the war, as quoted in Joseph Bryan, Admiral Halsey's story (1947), p. 76.

What Does the Working Man Want? (speech), Louisville, KY (May 1890)

“Making a spell is easy. It's trusting you did it right that's hard.”
Source: Dead Witch Walking
“Hard work makes easy reading or, at least, easier reading.”
Cornell Chronicle interview (1999)

“Shoot first and inquire afterwards, and if you make mistakes, I will protect you.”
Instruction to the Prussian police (1933); as quoted in The House that Hitler Built (1937) by Stephen Henry Roberts. p. 63