Alexander Graham Bell

Engineering Scottish-American 1847 – 1922 310 quotes

Invented the telephone

Quotes by Alexander Graham Bell

The telephone is a symbol of the future.

Speech

The telephone is a gift to the world.

Speech

The telephone is a bridge between distances.

Lecture, American Academy of Arts and Sciences 1878

The telephone is a voice across the wires.

Demonstration 1876

The telephone is a new era in communication.

Lecture, Society of Telegraph Engineers 1877

The telephone is a testament to human ingenuity and determination.

Speech

The telephone is a vital instrument for modern life.

Interview 1900

The telephone is an indispensable tool for business and social interaction.

Interview 1900

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us.

Attributed

I have been working for some time upon the problem of transmitting speech by electricity.

Letter to his father 1876

The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions.

Attributed

What is the use of a telephone? There is no use for it.

Attributed to a British Post Office official, often used to highlight early skepticism, though Bell himself would have found it ironic. 1876

Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. Every time you do, you will be certain to find something you have never seen before.

Attributed

The telephone, in its present form, is little more than a toy.

Attributed to a contemporary critic, highlighting the initial underestimation of his invention. 1876

I have never had a moment's doubt as to the ultimate success of my experiments.

Attributed

The public is always in need of something new, and the telephone is certainly new.

Early promotional material (paraphrased) 1876

I am a firm believer in the power of the human voice.

Attributed

The telephone will be a great convenience for those who are too lazy to write letters.

Early commentary (paraphrased) 1876

The telephone is a wonderful instrument, but it has one great drawback: it rings.

Attributed

The telephone is an invention that will make it possible for people to talk to each other without having to leave their homes. What a terrible thought!

Satirical commentary (paraphrased) 1876