Generally speaking, there is more wit than talent in the world. Society swarms with witty people who lack talent.

The most civilized people are as near to barbarism as the most polished steel is to rust. Nations, like metals, have only a superficial brilliancy.

Man spends his life in reasoning on the past, in complaining of the present, in fearing future.

It is the dim haze of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit.

Of every ten persons who talk about you, nine will say something bad, and the tenth will say something good in a bad way.

The absolute ruler may be a Nero, but he is sometimes a Titus or Marc Aurelius; the people is often Nero, but never Marc Aurelius.

To lose one's self in reverie, one must be either very happy, or very unhappy. Reverie is the child of extremes.

Gold like the sun, which melts wax, but hardens clay, expands great souls.

The only thing wealth does for some people is to make them worry about losing it.

The modest man has everything to gain, and the arrogant man everything to lose; for modesty has always to deal with generosity, and arrogance with envy.

Opinions, theories, and systems pass by turns over the grindstone of time, which at first gives them brilliancy and sharpness, but finally wears them out.

When you are fitted in a racing car and you race to win, second or third place is not enough.

Children accept many things adults will not accept, since the world of a child is a constant revelation without any need for knowledge of cause and effect.

I am an intransigent atheist, though not a militant one. This means that I am not fighting against religion - I am fighting for reason.

There are more useful systems developed in languages deemed awful than in languages praised for being beautiful - many more.

I'm gonna be Iron, like a Lion in Zion

I wanted to be a professional singer/actress, though I knew it would be hard.

I never aspired to be a television producer and a movie director, and I'm shocked that this idea is still going on.

We must pray constantly for His enabling grace to say no to temptation, of choosing to take all practical steps to avoid known areas of temptation and flee from those that surprise us.

The world is a very puzzling place. If you're not willing to be puzzled, you just become a replica of someone else's mind.

If we fight for money, I'll stop hitting you when you ask me to. If we fight for honor, I'll stop hitting you when I feel like it.