Solitude can be used well by very few people. They who do must have a knowledge of the world to see the foolishness of it, and enough virtue to despise all the vanity.

And I myself a Catholic will be, So far at least, great saint, to pray to thee. Hail, Bard triumphant! and some care bestow On us, the Poets militant below.

Life is an incurable disease.

For the whole world, without a native home, Is nothing but a prison of larger room.

Of all ills that one endures, hope is a cheap and universal cure.

Nothing is there to come, and nothing past, But an eternal Now does always last.

A mighty pain to love it is, And 'tis a pain that pain to miss; But, of all pains, the greatest pain Is to love, but love in vain.

I would not fear nor wish my fate, but boldly say each night, to-morrow let my sun his beams display, or in clouds hide them; I have lived today.

Nothing so soon the drooping spirits can raise As praises from the men, whom all men praise.

As for being much known by sight, and pointed out, I cannot comprehend the honor that lies withal; whatsoever it be, every mountebank has it more than the best doctor.

Gold begets in brethren hate; Gold in families debate; Gold does friendship separate; Gold does civil wars create.

You say, it's dark. And in truth, I did place a cloud before your sun. But do you not see how the edges of the cloud are already glowing and turning light.

Being famous is great, it's not like bad or horrible or anything.

A tragic life is romantic when it happens to somebody else.

The mean reds are horrible. You're afraid and you sweat like hell, but you don't know what you're afraid of. Except something bad is going to happen, only you don't know what it is.

Shut your mouth! You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare —

We are living at an extraordinary time in human history. And for many of us things are great. Things are great for me.

Sound is one of the best most powerful tools. All the ancient traditions confirm that in the beginning was the word. Sound sort of predates form.

The call for a sincere gift of self is the fullest way to realize our personal freedom.

What makes me happy is just keeping my brain challenged and stimulated and on its toes.

Since visiting the abatoirs of S. France I have stopped eating meat.