The average man’s life consists of: Twenty years of having his mother ask him where he is going, Forty years of having his wife ask the same question; and at the end, the mourners wondering too.

Soremarkably perverse is the nature of man that he despises those that court himand admires whoever will not bend before him.

Aclosed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.

Conflictis the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. Itinstigates to invention. It shocks us out of sheeplikepassivity, and sets us at noting and contriving.

Theonly difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is the way inwhich we use them.

Not work, but the thought that he must work is what makes the lazy man tired.

Aperson whose heart is not content is like a snake which tries to swallow anelephant.

Ignorance is a bold, and knowledge reserved

Standingin the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by thetraffic from both sides.

The exercise of power is determined by thousands ofinteractions between the world of the powerful and that of the powerless, allthe more so because these worlds are never divided by a sharp line: everyonehas a small part of himself in both.

Nine times out of ten, we are disappointed in life because we don't ask enough of it.

Power is a little like alcohol: the faster it is consumed, the more quickly it affects the brain.