I regard large inherited wealth as a misfortune, which merely serves to dull men's faculties. A man who possesses great wealth should, therefore, allow only a small portion to descend to his relatives. Even if he has children, I consider it a mistake to hand over to them considerable sums of money beyond what is necessary for their education. To do so merely encourages laziness and impedes the healthy development of the individual's capacity to make an independent position for himself.

My home is where I work, and I work everywhere.

A heart can no more be forced to love than a stomach can be forced to digest food by persuasion.

Justice is to be found only in the imagination.

A recluse without books and ink is already in life a dead man.

I intend to leave after my death a large fund for the promotion of the peace idea, but I am skeptical as to its results.

It is my express wish that in awarding the [Nobel Prizes] no consideration be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be Scandinavian or not.