Our institutions have a potent digestion, and may in time convert and assimilate to good all elements thrown in, however originally alien.

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.

A smile is the chosen vehicle of all ambiguities.

I am, as I am; whether hideous, or handsome, depends upon who is made judge.

Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.

Dream tonight of peacock tails, Diamond fields and spouter whales. Ills are many, blessing few, But dreams tonight will shelter you.

Toil is man's allotment; toil of brain, or toil of hands, or a grief that's more than either, the grief and sin of idleness.

Meditation and water are wedded for ever.

I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.

Aye, aye! and I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up.

War should be carried on like a monsoon; one changeless determination of every particle towards the one unalterable aim.

It was the end for something. It was the beginning for another. But in reality it just fell in the middle. In that confusing moment of time between my birth and my death.

If only we could understand the language of the eyes, there would be more love in our world!

Life is a game of chance. You ought to play the game.

Drinking turns a fool into a merry fool.

They have a word in Finnish called sisu, which basically means guts. It’s the strongest word in the Finnish language. You tell a Finn he doesn’t have sisu, that’s like spitting in his face.

Of all your associations, it is your relationship with God, your Heavenly Father, who is the source of your moral power.

I like to listen to classical music... I like mainline jazz.

Advice: It's more fun to give than to receive.

To those who ask if I have read their book, I reply: I have not yet read Homer.

A photographer cannot be inexperienced, or too mature. A photographer ought to be half-ripe.