He who is best prepared can best serve his moment of inspiration.

Exclusively of the abstract sciences, the largest and worthiest portion of our knowledge consists of aphorisms: and the greatest and best of men is but an aphorism.

Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.

There is one art of which people should be masters - the art of reflection.

Humor is consistent with pathos, whilst wit is not.

A great mind must be androgynous.

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea.

That gracious thing, made up of tears and light.

The love of a mother is the veil of a softer light between the heart and the heavenly Father.

Religion is the most gentlemanly thing in the world. It alone will gentilize, if unmixed with cant.

Poor little Foal of an oppressed race! I love the languid patience of thy face.

I and my silences keep talking to each other.

I don't care about age very much.

... still his philanthropy was of that gunpowderous sort that the difference between it and animosity was hard to determine.

Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.

All pain is a punishment, and every punishment is inflicted for love as much as for justice.

All religions are designed to teach us how to live, joyfully, serenely, and kindly, in the midst of suffering.

I hated being a child because to be a child means that you are essentially the property of your parents, benevolently or not.

I think I pick more winners than losers.

As I know more of mankind I expect less of them, and am ready now to call a man a good man upon easier terms than I was formerly.

I've always loved being at the eye of the storm creatively with people that I find exciting and glamorous. So sometimes I got sidetracked in my career and maybe I would have done more TV or film.