Magnanimous people have no vanity, they have no jealousy, and they feed on the true and the solid wherever they find it. And, what is more, they find it everywhere.

Genius and virtue are to be more often found clothed in gray than in peacock bright.

The creative impulses of man are always at war with the possessive impulses.

No man should ever publish a book until he has first read it to a woman.

Better the fragrant herb of wit and a little cream of affability than all the pretty cups in the world.

It is not that the French are not profound, but they all express themselves so well that we are led to take their geese for swans.

Nothing is sadder than the consequences of having worldly standards without worldly means.

Nothing is so soothing to our self-esteem as to find our bad traits in our forebears. It seems to absolve us.

The man who has the courage of his platitudes is always a successful man.

The instructed man is ashamed to pronounce in an Orphic manner what everybody knows, and because he is silent people think he is making fun of them.

Once you have a point of view all history will back you up.

That's the thing about your destiny how are you supposed to know when it arrives? How are you supposed to recognise it from random life?

This is the step up people have wanted. [Wladimir] Klitschko wants his belts back, may the best man win.

The real tragedy of England, as I see it, is the tragedy of ugliness. The country is so lovely: the man-made England is so vile.

Caring comes from being able to put yourself in the position of the other person.

Anything truly worthwhile does not come easy. If it did, it would not be all that worthwhile.

I love music so much, and as long as I got all this enthusiasm and ambition, and passion for this music; as long as I'm having' fun - I'm gonna keep doin' it.

The river knows the way to the sea: Without a pilot it runs and falls, Blessing all lands with its charity.

The Germans, a race eager for war.

In actual fact, I have been an academic - a college and university teacher and scholar - for much of the last 45 years, and only rarely a writer.

If Michael, leader of God's host When Heaven and Hell are met, Looked down on you from Heaven's door-post He would his deeds forget.