No sooner is your ocean filled, than he grumbles that it might have been of better vintage. Try him with half of a Universe, of an Omnipotence, he sets to quarrelling with the proprietor of the other half, and declares himself the most maltreated of men. Always there is a black spot in our sunshine: it is even as I said, the Shadow of Ourselves.

Thought is a kind of opium; it can intoxicate us, while still broad awake; it can make transparent the mountains and everything that exists.

Henri Frederic Amiel

Better a life like a falling star, brief bright across the dark, than the long, long waiting of the immortals, loveless and cheerlessly wise.

Poul Anderson

Are you then unable to recognize unless it has the same sound as yours?

Andre Gide

With my talent, I can make people laugh and give them another attitude about life. What a blessing that is for me.

Doris Roberts

A lot of what acting is paying attention.

Robert Redford

People say you favor assassination, what do you think war is? Except that it's assassination on a much larger scale, a much more horrific scale.

John Bolton

In civilized society man stands at all times in need of the cooperation and assistance of great multitudes, while his whole life is scarce sufficient to gain the friendship of a few persons. . . . Man has almost constant occasion for the help of his brethren, and it is in vain for him to expect it from their benevolence only. He will be more likely to prevail if he can interest their self-love in his favour, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of them. Whoever offers to another a bargain of any kind, proposes to do this. Give me that which I want, and you shall have this which you want, is the meaning of every such offer; and it is in this manner that we obtain from one another the far greater part of those good offices which we stand in need of. It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. . . . Nobody but a beggar chuses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow citizens.

Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nation

Unforgiveness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die.

Marianne Williamson

Philosophy is empty if it isn't based on science. Science discovers, philosophy interprets.

Albert Einstein

I have always believed that opera is a planet where the muses work together, join hands and celebrate all the arts.

Franco Zeffirelli

Anyone who thinks hard work will never hurt you has never had to pay to have it done. Jesus now has many lovers of his Heavenly Kingdom, but few bearers of his cross.

Thomas Kempis

You can stroke people with words.

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