Great minds tend toward banality. It is the noblest effort of individualism. But it implies a sort of modesty, which is so rare that it is scarcely found except in the greatest, or in beggars.

Welcome anything that comes to you, but do not long for anything else.

The young people who come to me in the hope of hearing me utter a few memorable maxims are quite disappointed. Aphorisms are not my forte, I say nothing but banalities.... I listen to them and they go away delighted.

Nothing excellent can be done without leisure.

Long only for what you have.

There is a law in life: When one door closes to us another one opens.

The miser puts his gold pieces into a coffer; but as soon as the coffer is closed, it is as if it were empty.