“Usually we praise only to be praised.”

We get so much in the habit of wearing disguises before others that we finally appear disguised before ourselves.

Not all those who know their minds know their hearts as well.

However rare true love may be, it is less so than true friendship.

The mind cannot long play the heart’s role.

We only confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no big ones.

Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it.

Nothing is so contagious as example; and we never do any great good or evil which does not produce its like.

We only acknowledge small faults in order to make it appear that we are free from great ones.

Perfect valour consists in doing without witnesses that which we would be capable of doing before everyone.

Virtue would go far if vanity did not keep it company.

We seldom find any person of good sense, except those who share our opinions.

How can we expect another to keep our secret if we have been unable to keep it ourselves?

Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance.

We pardon to the extent that we love.

Those who are incapable of committing great crimes do not readily suspect them in others.

There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may be useful to us; and the other, from pride which comes from the wish to know what others are ignorant of.

When we look outside of that on which we depend we ignore our unity; looking outward we see many faces; look inward and all is one head.

I like touring; I live on the road, more or less.

I might as well use it to control the story. So why not do something like throw a mask on?

Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.

All of the courses that run through real streets are very demanding. There is no room for error, no shoulders to lean on.

California is like an artificial limb the rest of the country doesn’t really need. You can quote me on that.

I know how to make it a great musical. I’ve got to. It’s like I’ve got to see it on stage.

I look at athletes in all sports and try to picture what kind of football player they’d be, what position they’d play and so on.