“Lost Illusion is the undisclosed title of every novel.”

We appreciate frankness from those who like us. Frankness from others is called insolence.

The first recipe for happiness is: avoid too lengthy meditation on the past.

Men and women are not born inconstant: they are made so by their early amorous experiences.

A contemptuous indifference turns into an enemy a woman who, well treated, might have been an angel.

The true evil is not the weakening of the body, but the indifference of the soul.

The difficult part in an argument is not to defend one’s opinion but rather to know it.

There are certain persons for whom pure Truth is a poison.

People are what you make them. A scornful look turns into a complete fool a man of average intelligence.

Without a family, man, alone in the world, trembles with the cold.

No one can be profoundly original who does not avoid eccentricity.

If you value a man’s regard, strive with him. As to liking, you like your newspaper – and despise it.

Conversation would be vastly improved by the constant use of four simple words: I do not know.

We owe to the Middle Ages the two worst inventions of humanity – romantic love and gunpowder.

Modesty and unselfishness – these are the virtues which men praise – and pass by.

If men could regard the events of their own lives with more open minds, they would frequently discover that they did not really desire the things they failed to obtain.

In literature as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by others.

Every relationship should eventually become a long-term relationship. Any director that I meet now isn’t just a director. He’s potentially a friend, and someone I can call to do a project that I want or that I have.

I’ve driven just about every kind of car there is.

If you want to appeal to everyone, you can’t do a world tour and expect black people to show up at every date – when you’re in Australia, when you’re in Dubai, when you’re in Indonesia.

I count my blessings every day, quite honestly, because I take nothing for granted.

When I talk about a successful program, define that. It’s not just winning the national championship every year because nobody can do that.

I think people always assume that every team has great intangibles, and that’s not necessarily right.

Every NASCAR driver watches Formula One in the morning; they are well informed.

We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity.