• A new oath holds pretty well; but... when it is become old, and frayed out, and damaged by a dozen annual retryings of its remains, it ceases to be serviceable; any little strain will snap it.

    Mark Twain: A new oath holds pretty well; but...  when it is become old, and frayed out,  and damaged by a dozen annual retryings  of its remains, it ceases to be  serviceable; any little strain will snap  it.