The little incidents and accidents of every day fill us with emotion, anxiety, annoyance, passion, as long as they are close to us, when they appear so big, so important, so serious; but as soon as they are borne down the restless stream of time they lose what significance they had; we think no more of them and soon forget them altogether. They were big only because they were near.

You are free to do what you want, but you are not free to want what you want.

Wealth is like sea-water; the more we drink, the thirstier we become; and the same is true of fame.

Honor means that a man is not exceptional; fame, that he is. Fame is something which must be won; honor, only something which must not be lost.

Whatever folly men commit, be their shortcomings or their vices what they may, let us exercise forbearance; remember that when these faults appear in others it is our follies and vices that we behold.

One man is more concerned with the impression he makes on the rest of mankind, another with the impression the rest of mankind makes on him.

Newspapers are the second hand of history.