Fortune, like a coy mistress, loves to yield her favors, though she makes us wrest them from her.

False friends are like our shadow, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine, but leaving us the instant we cross into the shade.

Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.

Our first and last love is self-love.

The scope of an intellect is not to be measured with a tape-string, or a character deciphered from the shape or length of a nose.

It is the passion that is in a kiss that gives to it its sweetness; it is the affection in a kiss that sanctifies it.

We fear things in proportion to our ignorance of them.

The opinions of the misanthropical rest upon this very partial basis, that they adopt the bad faith of a few as evidence of the worthlessness of all.

The lively and mercurial are as open books, with the leaves turned down at the notable passages. Their souls sit at the windows of their eyes, seeing and to be seen.

Tears are nature's lotion for the eyes. The eyes see better for being washed by them.

The passions are like fire, useful in a thousand ways and dangerous only in one, through their excess.

People stop thinking when they cease to read.

Leaders are readers, disciples want to be taught and everyone has gifts within that need to be coached to excellence.

A lasting solution to this problem will have an exceptionally positive influence foremost on the peoples of Palestine and Israel, as well as on the region and the international community.

A living museum must surely see itself as a locus of argument. A breathing art institution is not a lockup but a moveable feast.

It is easy to be nice, even to an enemy - from lack of character.

The simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity.

I have the sense that if I push too hard or too far into memory I’ll come apart.

Whole-hearted listening is the greatest spiritual gift you can give to the other person.

The motivation to me is to make money and not be dependent upon the shallow pool called the entertainment world or the rap world or the hip-hop world.

Americans are far more remarkable than we give ourselves credit for. We've been so busy damning ourselves for years. We've done it all, and yet we don't take credit for it.