The personal pronoun "I" should be the coat of arms of some individuals.

The most civilized people are as near to barbarism as the most polished steel is to rust. Nations, like metals, have only a superficial brilliancy.

Man spends his life in reasoning on the past, in complaining of the present, in fearing future.

It is the dim haze of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit.

Of every ten persons who talk about you, nine will say something bad, and the tenth will say something good in a bad way.

The absolute ruler may be a Nero, but he is sometimes a Titus or Marc Aurelius; the people is often Nero, but never Marc Aurelius.

To lose one's self in reverie, one must be either very happy, or very unhappy. Reverie is the child of extremes.

Gold like the sun, which melts wax, but hardens clay, expands great souls.

The only thing wealth does for some people is to make them worry about losing it.

The modest man has everything to gain, and the arrogant man everything to lose; for modesty has always to deal with generosity, and arrogance with envy.

Opinions, theories, and systems pass by turns over the grindstone of time, which at first gives them brilliancy and sharpness, but finally wears them out.

Follow the way of life, which the Holy Prophet has shown you, for verily that is the right path.

I have a horror of sentimentality, and I cannot forget that its name is Saint-Saëns.

When America doesn't act, bad things happen

It's easy to play a bad girl: You just do everything you've been told not to do, and you don't have to deal with the consequences, because it's only acting.

The sign of a good decision is the multiplicity of reasons for it.

We never understand what we're praying, and God, in His mercy, does not answer our prayers according to our understanding, but according to His wisdom.

As Americans, we don't see the role of government as guaranteeing outcomes, but allowing free men and women to flourish based on their own vision, their hard work and their personal responsibility.

In a house where there are small children the bathroom soon takes on the appearance of the Old Curiosity Shop.

It might suprise you to know I think I raised them too much, too

So we'll live, And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh at gilded butterflies.