“An evil intention perverts the best actions, and makes them sins.”

There is not any present moment that is unconnected with some future one. The life of every man is a continued chain of incidents, each link of which hangs upon the former.

Knowledge is, indeed, that which, next to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man above another.

Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week.

A true critic ought to dwell rather upon excellencies than imperfections

Artificial intelligence will never be a match for natural stupidity.

There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty.

There is nothing more requisite in business than despatch.

A person may be qualified to do greater good to mankind and become more beneficial to the world, by morality without faith than by faith without morality.

Rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm.

I am wonderfully pleased when I meet with any passage in an old Greek or Latin author, that is not blown upon, and which I have never met with in any quotation.

A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world; and if in the present life his happiness arises from the subduing of his desires, it will arise in the next from the gratification of them.

Nature is full of wonders; every atom is a standing miracle, and endowed with such qualities, as could not be impressed on it by a power and wisdom less than infinite.

Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures.

If we hope for what we are not likely to possess, we act and think in vain, and make life a greater dream and shadow than it really is.

Nothing is more gratifying to the mind of man than power or dominion.

I consider the vanity of grieving for those whom we must quickly follow: when I see kings lying by those who deposed them, when I consider rival wits placed side by side, or the holy men that divided the world with their contests and disputes.

You have a lot of suspicion from the neighbors of Afghanistan about U.S. intentions. Iran is already, to some extent, trying to undermine the U.S. in Afghanistan.

So, that’s my intention to focus my efforts there and I hope I will be able to do so.

To conjure with the passive culture and adapt to its rules is to degrade and deny the fullness of our meaning and intention.

Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.

I want to live in Paris for a couple of years. I’m dying to do the Josephine Baker story. I really want to be there and do it. It’s certainly my intention to do it.

It has always been, and still is, my intention to build a playground in Central Park.

Tie my handlebars to the stars so I stay on track & if my intentions stray I’ll wrench them away,then I’ll take my leave & I won’t even look back

I think what’s dangerous [about comedy] is that you’re coming into the room announcing your intentions.