Patience is a most necessary quality for business many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request.

As fathers commonly go, it is seldom a misfortune to be fatherless; and considering the general run of sons, as seldom a misfortune to be childless.

The mere brute pleasure of reading - the sort of pleasure a cow must have in grazing.

If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old.

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

Being pretty on the inside means you don't hit your brother and you eat all your peas - that's what my grandma taught me.

Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise.

Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.

You must look into people, as well as at them.

A man's own good breeding is the best security against other people's ill manners.

Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

In a general way, I want to be a kind of flag-waver, bunting hanger-up, drum-beater, you name it, for poetry.

Never, ever wear three-quarter length trousers. Even in the summer.

There is one single thread binding my way together...the way of the Master consists in doing one's best...that is all.

My father was frightened of his mother. I was frightened of my father and I am damned well going to see to it that my children are frightened of me.

We are closer to the ants than to the butterflies. Very few people can endure much leisure.

Among our articles of lazy hardware, I recommend the faucet that stops dripping when no one is listening to it.

Most people do not see the world as it is. They see it as they are

As it somehow always manages before the winter solstice, but never after, the early darkness was cheerful and promising, even for those who had nothing.

I always wanted to interview Michael Jackson, because I just wanted to humanize him.

Guilt is petty; I am above guilt.