To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.

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.

God determines the goals of the prosperity before giving prosperity to His children.

Friendship, sweet-resting place of the soul, the gloaming wherein our hearts find peace.

Consciousness is the original sin: consciousness of the inevitability of our death.

You can't control a young horse unless you control yourself.

He who gives you the diameter of your knowledge,presc ribes the circumference of your activities.

Let nobody be fooled, the next two quarters are not going to be easy either in terms of growth or employment.

I'm pretty good with languages.

Construct your determination with sustained effort, controlled attention, and concentrated energy. Opportunities never come to those who wait ... they are captured by those who dare to attack.

One of the bigger misconceptions of learning is that many skills take a lifetime to get world-class at, or 10,000 hours to become world-class at.

I read a lot. I am an inveterate reader. I always have a novel going.