The Council of the Royal Society is a collection of men who elect each other to office and then dine together at the expense of this society to praise each other over wine and give each other medals.

The economy of human time is the next advantage of machinery in manufactures.

Telegraphs are machines for conveying information over extensive lines with great rapidity.

Errors using inadequate data are much less than those using no data at all.

At each increase of knowledge, as well as on the contrivance of every new tool, human labour becomes abridged.

What is there in a name? It is merely an empty basket, until you put something into it.

For one person who is blessed with the power of invention, many will always be found who have the capacity of applying principles.

As soon as an Analytical Engine exists, it will neccessarily guide the future course of science.

An object is frequently not seen, from not knowing how to see it, rather than from any defect of the organ of vision.

The proportion between the velocity with which men or animals move, and the weights they carry, is a matter of considerable importance, particularly in military affairs.

If we look at the fact, we shall find that the great inventions of the age are not, with us at least, always produced in universities.

The fear of the unknown was eclipsed by the gladness that came of taking action, of doing something rather than waiting, of following what seemed to be the call of my life.

There are things which cannot be carried through even with the good will of everybody concerned

But, strictly speaking, this mythology was no essential part of ancient religion, for it had no sacred sanction and no binding force on the worshippers.

I've learned all I need to know to live under a bed.

I'm not very computer savvy.

Egotism is not a good quality. It's not something to be admired or even tolerated. It wouldn't be tolerated in a field commander and it shouldn't be tolerated in a movie director.

Nonviolence in politics is a new weapon in the process of evolution; its vast possibilities are yet unexplored.

Variety made the Revolution. Liberty was just a pretext.

Every breath we draw is a gift of God's love; every moment of existence is a grace.

I always wanted to write fiction. Always. As far back as I can remember it's been integral to my sense of myself - everything else was always a displacement activity.