Who said “Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never…”?

Verified

Clarence Darrow. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceThe Sign (May 1938) This has been misquoted as: The pursuit of truth will set you free; even if you never catch up with it.

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Authors A–Z
“Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coat tails.”
— Clarence Darrow
VerifiedThe Sign (May 1938) This has been misquoted as: The pursuit of truth will set you free; even if you never catch up with it. · evidenceTruth

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Sign (May 1938) This has been misquoted as: The pursuit of truth will set you free; even if you never catch up with it..

APA

Darrow, C. (n.d.). Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coat tails. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/40722-chase-after-the-truth-like-all-hell-and/

MLA

Darrow, Clarence. “Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coat tails.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/40722-chase-after-the-truth-like-all-hell-and/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Darrow, Clarence. “Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coat tails.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/40722-chase-after-the-truth-like-all-hell-and/.

Related quotes

“Truth and virtue conquer.”
— Motto
Original (Latin)

Veritas et virtus vincunt

VerifiedLatin family motto; recorded in James Wood, Dictionary of Quotations (1899), p. 518 · evidenceDetails & citeTruth

More quotes by Clarence Darrow

“With all their faults, trade unions have done more for humanity than any other organization of men that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education, for the betterment of the race, for the developing of character in man, than any other association of men.”
Verified‘The Open Shop’, in The Railroad Trainman (November 1909) · evidenceDetails & citeTrade Unions
“Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt.”
Doubt
All 18 Clarence Darrow quotes →