A cheerful, easy, open countenance will make fools think you a good-natured man, and make designing men think you an undesigning one.

As fathers commonly go, it is seldom a misfortune to be fatherless; and considering the general run of sons, as seldom a misfortune to be childless.

The mere brute pleasure of reading - the sort of pleasure a cow must have in grazing.

If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old.

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

Being pretty on the inside means you don't hit your brother and you eat all your peas - that's what my grandma taught me.

Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise.

Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.

You must look into people, as well as at them.

A man's own good breeding is the best security against other people's ill manners.

Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

He neither drank smoked nor rode a bicycle. Living frugally saving his money he died early surrounded by greedy relatives. It was a great lesson to me.

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many-not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some.

To become a star is the beginning of the end. I don't really want to be saddled with a screen persona.

You will not think it unnatural that those who have an object depending, which strongly engages their hopes and fears, should be somewhat inclining to superstition.

The three filters [against folly] operate through these particular questions: Literacy: What are the words? Numeracy: What are the numbers? Ecolacy: And then what?

There's a lot of people I'd like to write with, like Keith Urban or even as far out as Stevie Wonder.

Modernism: the books are as hard to understand as life itself.

Where Washington hath left His awful memory A light for after times!

I think indie films are really important, because they show the studios and the audiences when they see them, great stories. Really interesting, small stories.

I did my time in the jail of your arms