The consciousness of being deemed dead, is next to the presumable unpleasantness of being so in reality. One feels like his own ghost unlawfully tenanting a defunct carcass.

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.

When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself.

The process of re-writing and writing and re-writing means that you may have a brilliant phrase, but over time it distills and distorts and changes.

I have a strong belief that there is a god or a higher power. I think that if you have a strong belief in that, then you won’t feel alone in life and you will feel you can get through anything.

My goal is to simplify complexity.

A judge's duty is to grant justice, but his practice is to delay it: even those judges who know their duty adhere to the general practice.

I grew up in a musical family, but nobody was a professional musician.

one of the good things about being a woman is that my level of testosterone poisoning is lower than most men's.

There's always room for improvement, but the judges are looking for big airs and stylish tricks.

I hate diets and I love eating.

Socialism as I understand it is a system of democracy. Without democracy, there is no socialism.