“You demand unselfishness from others, which is a preposterous claim that they should sacrifice their desires to yours. Why should they?”

I can imagine no more comfortable frame of mind for the conduct of life than a humorous resignation.

There is a sort of man who pays no attention to his good actions, but is tormented by his bad ones. This is the type that most often writes about himself.

There are two good things in life – freedom of thought and freedom of action.

Of all the hokum with which this country [America] is riddled, the most odd is the common notion that it is free of class distinctions.

It is bad enough to know the past; it would be intolerable to know the future.

If it is necessary sometimes to lie to others, it is always despicable to lie to oneself.

If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.

If a man hasn’t what’s necessary to make a woman love him, it’s his fault, not hers.

If you want to eat well in England, eat three breakfasts.

The Almighty can hardly be such a fool as the churches make out.

if you’d ever had a grown-up daughter you’d know that by comparison a bucking steer is easy to manage. And as to knowing what goes on inside her – well, it’s much better to pretend you’re the simple, innocent old fool she almost certainly takes you for.

They call beautiful a dress, a dog, a sermon; and when they are face to face with Beauty cannot recognise it.

The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.

It’s no use crying over spilt milk, because all of the forces of the universe were bent on spilling it.

It is a nuisance that knowledge can only be acquired by hard work.

When I look back upon the girl I was I hate myself. But I never had a chance. I’m going to bring up my daughter so that she’s free and can stand on her own feet.

The grass is not always greener on the other side. You learn to appreciate these people.

She stood in front of the mirror a long time, and finally decided she either looked like a sap or else she looked very beautiful. One or the other.

Assists is what Earvin is all about. That’s what my whole life has been, assisting others.

Don’t let what other people think decide who you are.

I hate that my opinions are gonna be on record… that my opinions of other artists are going to be on record.

Emotionally I know she is better than every other country.

Temporary success can be achieved in spite of lack of other fundamental qualities, but no advancements can be maintained without hard work.

Intellectually I know that America is no better than any other country.