“One murder makes a villain, millions often a hero.”

The wise man realistically accepts as part of life and builds a philosophy to meet them and make the most of them. He lives on the principle of nothing attempted, nothing gained and is resolved that if he fails he is going to fail while trying to succeed.

Men do not mirror themselves in running water; they mirror themselves in still water.

American culture has always known success, not suffering, so we’ve never known what to do with this part of the Bible.

The great soul that sits on the throne of the universe is not, never was, and never will be, in a hurry.

Letters should be easy and natural.

It would be nice if the poor were to get even half of the money that is spent in studying them.

The eyes are the amulets of the mind.

A third, of more extensive learning, ran To Sir George Villiers’ Ghost, and Mrs. Veal; Of sheeted Spectres spoke with shorten’d breath, And thrice he quoted Drelincourt on Death.

I count this thing to be grandly true: That a noble deed is a step toward God.

The Universe knows itself and expands itself through me.

O hour, of all hours, the most blesse’d upon earth, The bless’d hour of our dinners!

It’s never safe to be nostalgic about something until you’re absolutely certain there’s no chance of its coming back

Most people – and particularly people whose lives have nothing to do with books at all – are intrigued by the idea that somebody wants to listen to them and get it right.

Even pearls are dark before the whiteness of his teeth.

A mission could be defined as an image of a desired state that you want to get to. Once fully seen, it will inspire you to act, fuel your imagination and determine your behavior.

Humility is the embroidery of chiefs.

How many people in other professions would be willing to have their job performances evaluated that way, in front of millions, every afternoon at five o’clock.

Today you have millions of Americans that feel left out and out of place in their own country, struggling to live paycheck to paycheck, called bigots because they hold on to traditional values.

TV and film taught me to think cinematically. Teaching others to edit, for example, provides a great deal of insight into the millions of ways in which given elements can be put together to tell a story.