Hope is a willing slave; despair is free.

American diplomacy is easy on the brain but hell on the feet.

How majestic is naturalness. I have never met a man whom I really considered a great man who was not always natural and simple. Affectation is inevitably the mark of one not sure of himself.

Mediocrity requires aloofness to preserve its dignity.

Tis not the fairest form that holds The mildest, purest soul within; 'Tis not the richest plant that holds The sweetest fragrance in.

I should hate to think that the Senate was as tired of me at the beginning of my service as I am of the Senate at the end.

For me--I hold no commerce with despair!

... And these childrenthat you spit onas they try to change their worldsare immune to your consultations.They're quite awareof what they're going through...

I learn my life lessons from time rather than lesser mortals.

What is heroic is not making life any harder that it has to be.

A seed rises from dirt to prove to the world that its greatness lies not on what the world thinks of it, but from within.

While the creative aspects of my filmmaking style are challenging in their own ways, I have developed such confidence and passion over the years that it has become much easier.

I know there's a lot of guys who would love to see me fail. Well, good. Let 'em. I'm glad.

The problem with using C++ ... is that there's already a strong tendency in the language to require you to know everything before you can do anything.

Democracy is not a commodity for import and export.

We have outlived this embryo, this human cradle, and now it's time to be up and about the great business of becoming citizens of the galaxy and at home with our own heart.

Being brought up in a culture is a matter of learning appropriate forms of feeling as much as particular ways of thinking.